A Hard Road
by sammygirl1963
Summary: WeeChesters. This story will focus on how John learns to hunt while trying to raise two young boys. Takes place approximately a month after Mary dies and the boys then progress in age. Angst/Hurt/Comfort Rated T for some curse words.
1. Chapter 1

**A Hard Road**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Winchesters, CW and Kripke does.

**Author's Note: **This story starts approximately a month after Mary's death so Sammy is seven months old and Dean is four.

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John Winchester sat silently on the bed of what would be the first of many motel rooms watching his boys sleeping. Dean was lying on the bed by the far wall and Sammy was in a crib provided by the motel. He was on his way to Blue Earth Minnesota to talk to a Pastor John Murphy after having spoken to Missouri Moseley. The psychic had confirmed that he was not crazy as he was beginning to fear after witnessing his wife's horrifying death. The fire marshal had tried to convince him that the fire had been started by faulty wiring in the ceiling, but he knew better. He had watched his Mary burning on the ceiling, her stomach eviscerated by something evil that had been in their house that fateful night. Missouri had told him about the things out there that people never dreamed of. His family had been visited by pure evil and it had left it's mark. Missouri also told him about people out there, people she called hunters, who fought the forces of evil and would teach him how to defend himself and his boys.

So here he was a month after his wife's death spending the night in a motel with his nearly five year old son who had quit talking and a seven month old. He worried about Dean who had fallen silent a few days after Mary's death and had yet to utter a word. He remembered the energetic child that Dean had been just before Mary's death. He and Mary had even joked that they thought Dean might have a hyperactivity disorder since he was always so active, even in sleep. Oh how he wished to see that child again instead of the solemn one that Dean had now become. He hoped that Dean would be able to sleep through the night without having one of the nightmares that seemed to plague his oldest child lately.

Knowing that he needed to get some sleep himself, he walked over and pulled the blankets up more firmly around Dean before bending down to kiss him on the forehead. "Sweet dreams kiddo" he whispered before standing up and walking to the foot of the bed where Sammy was sleeping in the crib. He reached down to check his diaper to make sure it was dry and then pulled the pastel blue baby blanket up over his youngest. It hurt him to think that Sammy would never know his mother and what a wonderful mother she was. He stood for a minute and watched as his baby squirmed and then put his thumb in his mouth and started sucking on it. He sighed in relief as Sammy relaxed into sleep once again. With any luck, Sammy would sleep through the night and they would be able to get an early start in the morning.

John walked over to the bathroom door and opened it. He turned on the light and then left it slightly ajar knowing how much Dean hated sleeping in the dark now. He shut of the light beside his bed before lying down himself. He still had trouble with the idea of sleeping alone and wished he had Mary's warm body curled up beside him. "God, I miss you so much Mary" he whispered before closing his eyes and slowly drifting off to a restless sleep.

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John woke up early the next morning and wiped the sleep from his eyes as he glanced over to check on Dean. He wasn't surprised to find the bed empty. For the past two weeks, Dean had taken to climbing into Sammy's crib if he woke in the middle of the night. One look confirmed that Dean had indeed climbed into the crib sometime during the night. He was lying on his side with an arm thrown protectively over his baby brother. If Dean needed the comfort of sleeping with his baby brother right now, he wasn't about to take that from him.

John decided to take a quick shower while his boys were still sleeping. He quietly ruffled through the old duffle bag that he had kept after his stint in the Marines. He never dreamed that he would be using it so soon again. Pulling out a clean pair of jeans, boxers and his USMC tee-shirt, he walked into the bathroom and took a quick shower leaving the door ajar so he could listen out for his boys. He still got nervous if the boys were out of his sight for more than just a few seconds.

After John finished his shower, he walked out of the bathroom to find Dean already dressed and looking up at him with those beautiful green eyes of his and holding a diaper and wipes in his hand. John didn't need Dean to tell him that Sammy had soiled his diaper and was in need of changing. John walked over to the crib to see his baby gazing up at him with two fingers planted firmly in his mouth. He reached down into the crib and gently lifted him up and carried him over to his bed. He quickly stripped Sammy of the sleeper he was in while Dean went through Sammy's bag to get him something to wear. As John opened the diaper, he wrinkled his nose at the smell that greeted him. "Jeez kiddo, can't you give daddy a break once in a while" he asked as he pulled out two wipes to clean the mess off of his baby's behind. After cleaning Sammy's little bottom, he put another diaper on him and then looked up to see Dean standing there with a big smile on his face and the clothes that he had picked out for Sammy.

"You think that's funny huh kiddo" John asked as he reached over to pick Dean up and place him on the bed beside Sammy. "Maybe next time I'll have you change Sammy's stinky diaper while I get him something to wear." He laughed as he watched his youngest vigorously shake his head no. John then quickly dressed Sammy in the blue jeans and the baby blue shirt with teddy bears on it that Dean had given him.

"Alright boys, let's hit the road" John said as he reached down and picked Sammy up and held him in one arm as he used the other to pick up his duffle bag and sling it over his shoulder. He waited until Dean was by his side before walking out the door.

He placed his bag in the trunk before walking around and opening the back door of the Impala. He watched as Dean climbed in the car before leaning in and placing Sammy in his car seat and strapping him in. Dean rifled through Sammy's bag and took out his favorite rattle and placed it in his little hands. Sammy took the offered toy and cooed as he shook it up and down. Knowing that Sammy was taken care of, Dean leaned back and pulled his seatbelt on as he sat beside his baby brother. As John climbed into the front seat behind the steering wheel, he adjusted the rearview mirror so he could see his boys before pulling out of the parking lot. They were still a few hundred miles from Blue Earth and John settled in for a long ride.

After a couple of hours of driving, John pulled into a McDonald's restaurant and parked. He figured Dean was probably hungry and he could use some food himself. He quickly grabbed a jar of baby food from Sammy's diaper bag and then unbuckled Sammy from his car seat and picked him up while Dean unfastened his own seatbelt. He grasped Dean by the hand and led him inside the restaurant. Walking up to the counter, he ordered Dean a cheeseburger, small fries, and a coke while ordering himself a Big Mac with extra onions, a large fry and a coke.

While waiting for his order, John grabbed one of the high chairs in the corner and sat it beside a table while Dean climbed into the booth. He quickly placed Sammy into the high chair making sure his son was secured so he couldn't climb out. He opened the jar of rice cereal and handed it to Dean to feed his baby brother while he returned to the counter to get their order.

John carried the food over to the table and then encouraged Dean to eat while he fed Sammy. He quickly took bites of his own food in between spoon feeding his baby boy. After finishing their meal, John made sure that Dean used the restroom before getting on the road once again. He took that time the time to change Sammy also. After hitting the road once again, John hoped he would only have to make one more stop to fill the car with gas and pick up something for dinner. With any luck, they would arrive at Pastor Jim Murphy's home by eight o'clock in the evening.

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Pastor Jim was sitting in the study of his parsonage working on a sermon when he heard the sounds of a car engine rumbling outside his door. He wondered if it might be the family that Missouri Moseley had called him about earlier. Missouri had informed him that the Winchester family had been visited by a demon on the night of November 2nd and that the mother had been killed protecting the youngest. He knew this small family would need all the support that he and others could offer now that they knew what was truly out there.

Jim pushed himself up from behind his desk and walked over to open the door. He watched as the man opened the rear door of a 1967 Chevy Impala and reached inside. When the man straightened up once again, he could see him holding an infant child in his right arm while his left hand clasped the small hand of another little tyke. As the small family strode towards him, Jim could see the weariness in the face of the father and wondered if the man had had a good night's sleep since his wife had been taken from them.

Jim smiled and greeted the small family as they walked up stairs. "Hello John, Missouri Moseley called and told me you would be coming. It is alright if I call you John isn't it?" Jim inquired as he welcomed the family inside his house. At seeing the man nod in acceptance, Jim went on to say, "Missouri has also told me about what happened to your family and I want you to know that I am here to help you in any way that I can. I'm sure you have many questions, but they can wait until we get you and your boys settled."

"Thanks Pastor, but we can get a motel for the night" John said as he stared in awe at the man who welcomed them with open arms. He was amazed how the man was so willing to accept them into his own home when he didn't know anything about them other than what Missouri had told him.

"You will do no such thing. I have plenty of room here for you and your boys. We have a nursery in the church so I'll have any supplies that the baby will need and I'm sure the boys would be more comfortable here than in some nasty motel room and by the way, please call me Jim" the pastor advised John as he said "Follow me."

Jim led John and the boys up a set of stairs and showed him where they would be sleeping. "I have set up two beds in here just in case you were uncomfortable being away from your boys. I'll get a portable crib from the nursery for your little one after we have dinner and set it up in the room also.

John was still somewhat nervous about spending the night in the pastor's house, especially after what had happened to Mary. "Are you sure you want us to stay here, I mean…" John trailed off not wanting to talk about his fears in front of Dean.

Jim instantly understood the man's fears as he watched the tension building in his posture. "Let me assure you John, you and the boys are safer here than anywhere else since this holy ground. I also have protective wards and sigils placed throughout the house and grounds. You can sleep peacefully tonight knowing that nothing can get to you or your boys.

"I don't know how to thank you for what you're doing for me and my boys" John said as he visibly relaxed knowing that his boys would be protected at least while they were staying here. Realizing that he hadn't introduced the boys, he said "Forgive me for not introducing my boys. The little one here in my arms is Sammy and the one standing by my side is Dean."

"It's nice to meet you boys" Jim said as he reached out to shake Dean's hand, only to see the youngest slip behind his father's legs for protection.

Placing a protective arm around Dean's shoulders, John said "He's kind of wary now around people he doesn't know."

"That's totally understandable after everything he's been through" Jim said as he thought about the horrors that his young eyes must have witnessed on that dreadful night. "Why don't you and the boys get washed up and I'll start dinner."

**TBC Should I continue? Do you want to read a story about John learning to become a hunter as he raises two young boys?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A Hard Road Ch. 2**

**Author's Note: **Thanks for the wonderful reception to my latest story. I was truly surprised by the fantastic response.

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As John carried his boys up the stairs to give them a bath, Jim prepared a meal of friend chicken with mashed potatoes and a garden salad. He figured the small family would be hungry after their long trip and he wanted to make sure they had a decent meal before going to bed. There was no way he would allow those two young children to go hungry while staying under his roof. As he cooked, he thought about the things he would need say to the children's dad. John had just recently become aware of the supernatural world and it would be up to him to divulge the information that John needed to hear. Removing the chicken from the frying pan, Jim could hear the sound of soft laughter and splashing coming from the bathroom up above. It filled his heart with happiness knowing that for at least a little while, the children were enjoying themselves. Knowing that they would be sitting down to dinner soon, Jim went out to the church and got the high chair and crib that young Sammy would need while staying at the parsonage.

While Dean undressed himself and climbed into the tub of lukewarm water, John undressed Sammy. It was easier to give the boys their bath together since Sammy had learned to sit up, but Dean was there to always sit behind his baby brother just in case. After divesting Sammy of his diaper, John gently lifted him into the tub, sitting him directly in front of his brother. As Dean held Sammy securely around the chest, John lathered up a wash cloth and proceeded to bathe his baby boy. As John tried to wash his face, Sammy began to thump his hands in the water and giggled as the water splashed up on him and his daddy. The more John tried to wash him, the harder the splashes got until Sammy had soaked the front of John's shirt along with part of the bathroom floor. "Thanks a lot kiddo" John smirked as he used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe water from his face, "You didn't have to give me a bath. I was already planning on taking a shower tonight."

After John had finished with bathing Sammy and washing his hair with the no more tears baby shampoo, he lifted his youngest child from the tub and wrapped him in a warm towel to dry him off as he kept an eye on Dean who was now washing himself. When he was still talking, before the nightmare that had changed their lives so dramatically, Dean had stressed that he was big enough to bathe himself since he wasn't the baby anymore. John allowed his son the independence of doing so to build up his self confidence, knowing that it would serve Dean well one day.

Seeing that Dean had finished his bath, John carried Sammy back to their room to dress him while Dean toweled himself off. He sprinkled some baby powder on Sammy and then diapered his little bottom before dressing him in a sleeper because he knew Sammy would soon go down for the night. After he finished, he glanced up to see Dean standing by him and holding out a comb.

"You want Daddy to comb your hair champ?" John asked as he reached out to take the comb. Upon seeing his son's nod, John combed through Dean's wet locks making sure to ease the comb through the tangles so he wouldn't unintentionally hurt his son. Once both his boys were set, John picked up Sammy and took Dean by the hand to take them back down the stairs. Judging by the aroma that wafted up the stairs and making his mouth salivate, Jim had finished preparing their evening meal.

When John and the boys arrived in the kitchen, Jim had already set the table and had a high chair sitting nearby for Sammy. Seeing John's surprised look, Jim explained, "While you finished bathing the boys, I finished cooking the meal and then went out to daycare room in the church and got the things you would need for young Samuel. Smiling his thanks, John placed his baby in the high chair while Jim placed the food on the table. Jim asked the Winchesters to bow their heads and then said grace thanking the Lord for their evening meal. John waited for Jim to serve himself before he placed a piece of chicken and some mashed potatoes on Dean's plate. He didn't bother with the salad knowing that his oldest disliked it and that it would just go to waste. Next, he prepared a small bowl of mashed potatoes for Sammy, using enough gravy to make it soupy enough for Sammy to eat so that his baby wouldn't choke. After making sure that his boys were set, John filled his own plate and tsat down to eat.

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After their evening meal, John carried his children upstairs to put them to bed while Jim cleaned the kitchen and washed the dishes. John had offered to help, but Jim assured him that he would finish quickly enough by himself and that he needed to put his youngest to bed since Sammy had nearly fallen asleep in his food. John kissed his youngest on the forehead and whispered "Goodnight Sammy" before placing his sleeping infant into the crib that Jim had placed into the room. He then lay down with Dean on his bed and read his oldest child a story about a monkey named George. By the time he had finished the story, Dean had faded off to sleep. John kissed his oldest lightly on the cheek and said "Sweet dreams kiddo" before he eased himself off of the bed and quietly left the room, leaving the door ajar so he would be able to hear his children if anything happened.

Returning to the kitchen, John found Jim seated at the table with a steaming cup of coffee in his hands and another cup sitting on the table ready for him. He flopped down in the chair with a sigh and looked the pastor in the eyes. "I want to thank you for taking me and my boys into your home" John said as he sipped the hot brew. "I'm sure that wasn't in your plans when Missouri contacted you."

"Think nothing of it John" Jim replied. "I'm happy to have the company. I don't get the chance to really interact with children much since my nieces and nephews live too far away. I'm looking forward to getting to know your boys." After a few more minutes of small talk, John was ready to discuss the reason for his visit.

Feeling a little nervous, John started fiddling with the coffee cup in his hands. "So uh…Missouri told me that you might be able to explain what happened that night" John said as he winced at the memory. The sight of Mary burning on the ceiling was so vivid in his mind, he didn't think he would ever be able to put the sight behind him.

Jim looked at John with sympathy. He could see how nervous the man was about bringing up the subject of his wife's death and the occurrences that had led to it. To get the conversation started Jim said "I need you to tell me what you know."

John grimaced and said "Not much really. Missouri just told me that evil had visited us that night and that it had touched our family. I'm not really sure what she meant by that. I just remember hearing Mary scream that night and running up the stairs. I ran into Sammy's room and saw him lying there in his crib. I happened to notice something near his head and reached down to touch it only to have blood drip on my hand from above." John swallowed convulsively, tears springing to his eyes, before going on. "I looked up to se my w-wife stuck to the ceiling with h-her stomach sl-slashed open. Before I had a chance to even assimilate what was happening, her body was engulfed by flames. I pulled Sammy from his crib and took him out into the hall where Dean had just arrived. I put Sammy into his arms and told him to take Sammy outside as fast as he could. Oh God I tried to get to Mary, but that fire flared out like it was alive or something. I couldn't do anything so I raced out of the house and picked up my boys carrying them far enough away just as the windows exploded." By this time, John had a steady stream of tears freely running down his face from reliving the nightmare that he was trying so hard to put behind him.

Jim placed a comforting hand on John's shoulder as he reached over and grabbed a Kleenex. "I'm sorry for your loss" he said simply as he handed John the Kleenex. "I can only imagine what you and your boys have been through and I will do my best to help you gain understanding from the tragedy." Sighing with regret at what he was about to say, Jim said "The first thing you need to know is that it was a demon who visited your family on that tragic night."

Seeing the shocked look on John's face, Jim went on to say, "I know, you thought they only existed in mythology, that there was no such things as demons. Let me assure you John that they do walk this earth and they are the spawn of evil." He gave John time to process that bit of information before going on. I'm sorry to say that I cannot tell you why your family was chosen to be visited, but I will help you to learn to protect yourself and your boys from the supernatural beings that inhabit our world."

"What do you mean beings, you mean there's more than just demons?" John asked incredulously wondering if he had heard the preacher right.

"Yes John, there are more creatures out there than probably even we hunters know about. All the urban legends and folklore you hear about are based in truth and reality. Many people assume they were stories made up to scare children into behaving themselves. That notion is wrong. Bloody Mary does exist as do ghosts, vampires, zombies, demons, and other beings you thought existed only in your weirdest dreams."

John's mouth dropped open at the revelation. How in the world had he sailed through life never knowing about the things out there in the dark. He thought the horrors that he had witnessed during his time in the Marines was the worst thing that would ever assail his eyes, only to find out how truly naive he was. He shuddered at the thought of what his boys could possibly witness in their young lives. Was he making the right choice to subjugate them to a life of pain and turmoil. Sure, he would do his best to protect them from it, but unforeseen consequences were bound to happen. In reflection, he knew he had no choice. He had to do this for himself as well as for the boys. Mary's death had to be avenged.

"I know it's a lot to take in and that you're probably overwhelmed, but I thought you should know the types of things you will be facing if you choose to take on the life of a hunter. The road is not an easy one. You will constantly be moving from town to town and hunting down creatures of the night that are out to hurt, maim, or kill you. You need to be sure that this is the path you want to follow, especially with two young boys to raise." Jim informed John wanting him to have all of the facts about the path set before him if he chose to take it.

"It's not a choice of what I want to do Pastor, it's what I _**have**_to do" John intoned knowing that there was no way he could turn his back on finding that thing that killed his wife. Mary and the boys were his life and he couldn't dishonor her by not going after the thing that killed her so cruelly and kept her from watching their sons grow. She never even got the chance to hear Sammy call her mommy.

"Then it is our job to make sure you're ready for the challenges ahead." Jim said. "I'll put in some calls and we'll get you started on the training that you'll need to become a hunter of the supernatural. Just know this, it won't be an easy life for you or your boys. There'll be times when you don't think you can survive another day, but we'll be here to help and guide you through it. There is a large network of hunters that you can touch base with, some of whom will become your closest friends I'm sure."

"Thanks Jim, for all …" John stopped mid sentence as he heard a terrifying scream coming from the boys room. His face immediately lost all color as he bolted out of the chair he was sitting in causing it to crash loudly to the floor. He raced up the stairs with Jim following right behind him. As he opened the door, his heart broke at the sight that met his eyes.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**A Hard Road Ch. 3**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story.

**Author's Note: **Dani, I hope this was quick enough for you.

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Previously: "_Thanks Jim, for all …" John stopped mid sentence as he heard a terrifying scream coming from the boys room. His face immediately lost all color as he bolted out of the chair he was sitting in causing it to crash loudly to the floor. He raced up the stairs with Jim following right behind him. As he opened the door, his heart broke at the sight that met his eyes._

As he opened the door, the first thing John saw was the way his oldest was looking around the room with terrified eyes as huge tears trailed down his extremely pale face. His little body was shaking intensely from the tremors that assaulted him. John knew right away that Dean had another one of his terrifying nightmares. He assumed they were about what happened to Mary, but he didn't know for sure since Dean had yet to speak about them. He often wondered if Dean had somehow seen his mother burning on the ceiling. Dean wasn't the only one crying he realized as heard the loud, ear piercing wails coming from Sammy's crib. His baby's little face was a bright shade of pink as his little arms and feet flailed about in the air. It tore him apart to see both boys so unhappy. He was torn as to which one to go to first until Jim took that heavy responsibility from his shoulders.

As Jim took in the scene before him, he could feel the angst coming off of both boys as well as their father. He could tell how much it was shattering the man in front of him seeing both boys so distressed. Remembering how the oldest had shied away from him when they first met, Jim quickly walked over to the crib and picked up the screaming infant, cuddling him to his chest. He figured that the baby was probably scared from being awoken by his brothers screams. "Shh, don't cry little one, it's alright. Shhh, your brother will be okay." Jim said as he gently bounced Sammy in his arms to comfort him while he watched John trying to console the other child.

John was extremely grateful to the pastor as he watched him pick up Sammy. Knowing that his baby was being taken care of, he could focus on Dean and his needs. He quickly rushed over to the bed and pulled his shivering four year old into his embrace. "It's okay champ, Daddy's right here" he said as he ran his hand soothingly up and down Dean's back. It tore his heart out to hear the way Dean was gasping for air as he continued to tremble in fear. He gently took Dean's freckled little face into his hands as he tried to get Dean to focus on him. "Dean, look at me son. You're safe. Daddy's got you and I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Please calm down son."

John's worry increased as he looked into Dean's eyes and saw the glassy distant look in them. He had to get him to focus or his son would slip into shock. Not knowing what else to do, John picked his oldest child up and held him tightly to his chest as he rocked Dean back and forth while singing _Hush Little Baby_. It was something that Mary used to do when he was just a toddler and it usually calmed him down within minutes when he was upset.

Dean was traumatized as ghastly scenes of the fire played over and over in his mind. Only this time instead of losing just his mommy, his daddy and Sammy were burned up in the fire too. He screamed out in horror as he watched the fire consuming his baby brother. He tried to pull Sammy from the crib but the fire was just too hot and it snaked out at his hands every time he tried to pick Sammy up. He pleaded for help but nobody ever came. He was left standing all alone in the burned out shell of the house that used to be his home. He took in shuddering breaths as he felt a cold chill consume him, he was all alone, ALL ALONE!!

As his trembles began to increase and he struggled to breathe, he suddenly felt a safe feeling starting to envelop him. He thought he could hear the soft sound of a voice that was recognizable, but it was so far away, why couldn't he understand what the voice was saying? He started running towards that voice to get away from the sheer terror of being all alone. Just when he thought he couldn't run anymore, he felt himself lifted up by comforting arms and a comforting tune sung softly near his ear. He knew that tune. That tune was the tune of love. His fears started to ebb away as he continued to listen. He could feel the tension fleeing and he started to relax as the love grew stronger. Exhaustion soon took over and he faded off to sleep safe in the arms of love.

Tears of relief started trailing down John's face as he felt the tension starting to leave Dean's body. It shattered his soul just a little bit more each time his child suffered from the night terrors that refused to leave him alone. He wondered if the fire would ever become a distant memory allowing Dean to totally come back to him. He really missed the energetic child that always kept him on his toes.

John could feel it the minute that Dean relaxed into sleep once again as his breathing evened out. He rocked and sung to Dean a few more minutes before laying him down gently on the bed. He knew he would be spending the night in the boy's bed since he didn't have the heart to leave him alone tonight. He looked over to where Jim was standing to see that the Pastor had also calmed his baby who was now sleeping with his thumb tucked securely into his mouth.

"Jim, I wanna thank you for taking care of my youngest while I was trying to take care of Dean. He's been having a problem with nightmares and I, well, I just don't know what I would have done tonight without your help."

"You don't have to thank me John, I'm glad I was able to help, that's what I'm here for" said Jim as he smiled at the frazzled father.

"Thanks for that. If you don't mind, I think I'll just stay here with my boys tonight" John said as he reached out for his baby. He really needed both of his boys close to him tonight. Jim lay Sammy in John's waiting arms before quietly leaving the room and closing the door behind him. He knew tonight had been really hard on the young father and the small family needed some time alone together.

John cuddled his youngest close to him for a few minutes before laying him down beside Dean. He knew Dean would take comfort in having the baby close beside him and hoped it would help him to sleep through the rest of the night. John grabbed Sammy's bottle from the crib and placed it on the desk beside him before stripping off his jeans and climbing into bed with his boys. He slung his arm protectively over both boys while he watched them sleep.

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John was awoken the next morning to the soft sounds of his baby cooing. He could feel the bed moving and slowly opened his eyes just a little to see Dean reaching over him to get Sammy's bottle. He marveled at the way Dean had supported Sammy with a couple of pillows so that he could feed his baby brother. As Dean held the bottle for the baby, there was obvious adoration and love in his eyes for little Sammy. John held his breathe as he watched Dean open his mouth to say something, only to change his mind. God how he wished Dean would start talking again. John swallowed his disappointment and opened his eyes fully as he plastered a smile on his face. "Good morning boys" John said as he reached over to kiss each child gently on the forehead. "I don't know what I would do without you champ. Thanks for taking care of feeding Sammy so daddy could get a little more sleep."

Dean beamed at hearing the compliment from his father. He loved it when his dad showed pride in the things he did, but he would do it anyway. He loved his baby brother more than anything in the world and mommy always said that he was so supposed to watch out for Sammy since he was a big brother now.

"Hey sport, you want to help daddy even more than you already have?" John asked his oldest as he watched the puzzled look that sprang to Dean's face wondering what his daddy was up to. "How about changing Sammy's diaper for me?" John immediately started laughing at the way Dean scrunched his face up in disgust as he shook his head back and forth letting his dad know his feelings on the subject. Reaching over to the diaper bag, John pulled out a diaper and wipes and quickly changed his youngest, putting some clean clothing on him afterwards. From the smell of sausage creeping up the stairs, John knew that Jim was preparing breakfast and didn't want to keep the man waiting.

After both boys were dressed, John took them downstairs where Jim had made scrambled eggs for Sammy, and pancakes and sausage for the rest of them, though there was enough eggs for Dean also if he preferred them. Everybody sat down to eat a hearty breakfast, though Sammy ended up getting more on the floor than he did in his mouth. When everyone had finally finished, Jim and John cleaned up the mess while Dean kept Sammy occupied in the living room.

As the boys played, John turned to Jim and asked about the kinds of things he would have to learn if he were to become a hunter of supernatural beings.

"There is so much more than I could ever hope to teach you myself John. Sure, I will be able to help you with learning things such as Latin, but I will have to introduce you to hunters such as Daniel Elkins and Bobby Singer to teach you the finer aspects of hunting. They are the experts when it comes to weapons, sigils, and knowing what kind of weapon is needed to dispose of evil.

"What, wait a minute…Latin?" John inquired as his interest was piqued. How in the world would learning an obscure language help him to bring down evil.

"Yes Latin, you will have to learn Latin to banish different spirits as well as to perform exorcisms. I'm afraid to say that there are demons out there who really do possess people. They lock innocent souls within their own minds and use their bodies to do horrible deeds. These people are forced to watch as their bodies are used to rape, maim, and kill, The demons take delight in feeling the terror inside their minds. They feed off of it and become stronger for it. Some people have been possessed for years and once exorcised succumb to death because their bodies cannot handle being exorcised."

It pained Jim to have to tell John that possessions actually did exist and that it wasn't just something that occurred in the movies. He prayed that John would never have to suffer the fate of being locked inside his own mind someday, but he knew the enormous risks that one faced in the life of hunting. John would actively be seeking out evil, so chances were that evil would be looking for him too, especially since he had already been touched by it once.

John glanced over at his boys as Jim explained the horrors of being locked inside yourself and to not be able to assert your own free will. Once again he wondered if he was doing the right thing in subjecting his kids to this life. How would their lives be affected if they witnessed such evil. Knowing that he couldn't back down, that he had to continue in his wife's memory, he swore to protect them from the life of hunting as much as possible. He would sequester them away so that only a chosen few would know about them. He prayed that his boys would remain innocent about the hunting life as long as possible. Sure Dean had already witnessed his mother's death, but he would never again have to witness such terror if he had anything to do about it.

"So when do we start?" John asked with resolve in his voice. The only way his boys would remain safe was if he learned how to protect them. He would never again let evil walk into his life and take another from him without a fight.

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

**A Hard Road Ch. 4**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story.

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**Previously: **_"So when do we start?" John asked with resolve in his voice. The only way his boys would remain safe was if he learned how to protect them. He would never again let evil walk into his life and take another from him without a fight._

"Well, I guess there's no time like the present" Jim said as he pulled his old dusty journal off of the shelf. This journal contained the words for exorcising a demon from an unwilling host's body. He glanced over at the children playing on the floor. Dean was keeping Sammy occupied with baby toys as he built a house using some Lincoln Logs. He kept a close on eye on Sammy and looked up from what he was doing anytime Sammy shifted or moved. Jim was amazed at how attentive Dean was for a four, soon to be five year old child. It was as though Dean was constantly on guard for anything that could hurt the youngest Winchester. Jim worried that Dean's attachment to the baby could be detrimental to his own well being if he neglected to take care of himself also while taking care of his baby brother.

Jim was drawn out of his musings as he heard John shift on the couch to make room for him to sit. He smiled as he handed his journal over to the young father. "In here, you'll find the words you need to learn to perform your first exorcism. You must memorize them exactly as they are written. If even one word is said out of place, you could find yourself with one very angry demon on your hands."

John opened the journal and glanced through all of the passages and wondered how in the world he would be able to learn all the incantations to what was supposedly a long dormant language. As far as he knew, Latin was used very rarely now, so how was he supposed to memorize a language he had absolutely no clue about. Opening the book to the first passage, he gazed at the unfamiliar words on the page. _Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii… _

John looked up at Jim with a guarded expression on his face. "Exorciza-what! How do you expect me to learn this passage when I can't even pronounce half of the words written in it?" he asked the pastor incredulously.

"Don't worry John, I'm sure you'll take to the language quickly and you'll learn the exorcisms in no time at all. I'll be here to help you all the way" Jim stated with conviction.

"Thanks but I'm not so sure about that Pastor" John said as he sat back to read more of the journal while also keeping an eye on his two small children. Sammy was now laying down on the floor napping. John smiled at the way his child looked since Sammy had one hand resting over his left ear while the thumb of his other hand was being thoroughly suckled upon by his mouth. He then focused his attention on Dean to see his oldest totally engrossed in building what looked to be a fort using the Lincoln Logs. Dean was concentrating so hard that his tongue was stuck out between his teeth as he placed the log in the exact position he wanted it to be.

"Okay John. Let's give it another try, repeat after me. _Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica, in nomine et virtute Domini Nostri Jesu + Christi, eradicare et effugare a Dei Ecclesia, ab animabus ad imaginem Dei conditis ac pretioso divini Agni sanguine redemptis" _Jim stated as he recited the Latin exorcism with natural ease.

John took a deep breath and started to repeat the words that Jim had said. _"__Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis _uhhhhhh, crap Jim, I can't remember what comes next."

"That's because you're trying too hard John, your putting unnecessary pressure on yourself to try and learn too much, too fast. I think it's time we take a break from the Latin and you enjoy a little time with your boys."

"Yeah, I think you're right" John stated in relief at not having to embarrass himself again in front of the pastor. Not only was he having trouble remembering the passages, but his tongue kept tripping over the unusual words. Since Sammy was still sleeping, John plopped himself down on the floor beside Dean.

"Hey sport, what are you building?" he asked his oldest as he surveyed the miniature brown log buildings in front of him. His answer came in the form of Dean putting his hands on his hip and scowling at him. "Okay, Okay, I get it, you're building a fort" John said as he reached over to pick up a few of the logs himself. "Mind if I help Dean-O?" he asked waiting for Dean's nod before adding a few logs to the already impressive fort. John and Dean worked on the building for another thirty minutes before Sammy started to stir from his nap.

It didn't take long for John and Dean to find out that Sammy had waken up in a cranky mood. The baby of the family pushed himself up to sit on his bottom as he glanced around with tear moistened eyes. He whined a little as he crawled across the floor to where the fort was and knocked some it down by sweeping his hand through it knocking some of the logs over.

"Sammy no!" said John sternly at seeing his baby destroy part of the fort that Dean had worked so hard on. But when Dean saw the trembling to his baby brother's bottom lip which was soon followed by his brother crying, Dean used his own hands to finish demolishing the fort before he reached them out towards his baby brother. Seeing the open invitation, Sammy crawled over to Dean who gently picked him up. As he snuggled into Dean, he pulled on his left ear with a chubby little hand while his thumb on the other hand went straight to his mouth once again.

John marveled at the way Dean was able to forgive his baby brother so easily for what he had done. Most children his age would have pouted for hours, would have most likely struck out in anger without thinking about the consequences. But not Dean, he was trying to console his baby brother and make him feel better. He was putting Sammy's needs before his own.

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About an hour later, Jim had prepared some sandwiches for lunch. Jim, John, and Dean sat at the table with roast beef sandwiches and chips while Sammy was in his high chair with a jar of baby food. When John tried to feed his youngest, Sammy refused to open his mouth. He crossed his arms in front of his chest as though in defiance and shook his head no when John told him to open up. "Sammy, you've got eat" John stated as he tried once again but Sammy just turned his head away from the food and pulled on his ear again. John gently guided Sammy's face back towards him and with a firm voice said "Open your mouth."

Tears glistened in Sammy's eyes again as he did what he was told. He swallowed the first mouthful with a grimace as the tears slid down his cheeks. When John gave him another spoonful, Sammy spit the food out and began to cry loudly.

"What is wrong with you today tiger?" John questioned as he cleaned up the mess that Sammy made while his baby continued to wail. He wasn't surprised when he looked up to see Dean standing beside the high chair with his arm wrapped around the baby's shoulders. Knowing that getting Sammy to eat any more would be a losing battle, John quickly grabbed a wash cloth and cleaned Sammy's face and hands before taking him out of the high chair. Sammy quickly laid his head against his daddy's chest while fisting John's flannel shirt in his chubby little hand.

John held his baby against his chest and sat down to finish his sandwich. It was obvious that Sammy needed to be cuddled right now and he was more than happy to do it. "Dean, go finish your lunch" John said as he looked at his oldest. "He'll be alright, I've got him. Before long, John could hear the soft sounds of his baby breathing deeply and knew that Sammy had fallen back asleep. "Guess you didn't get enough rest earlier huh" he whispered so as not to wake the sleeping child.

After everybody had finished eating, John deicded it was nap time for Dean also so Jim placed a thick quilt on the floor for Sammy and Dean to sleep on while he taught John the finer aspects of making holy water. Once John had Dean and Sam situated, the older men returned the kitchen where Jim pulled out the items they would need to make the consecrated water.

"The first that you'll need is a sterilized glass bowl which will keep the water that is poured into it from being tainted. Once the bowl is sterilized, you need to pour natural spring water into the bowl. Before adding salt to the water, you need to bless both the salt and the water with the following words: _I exorcise thee in the name of God the Father almighty, and in the name of Jesus Christ His Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy Ghost, that you may be able to put to flight all the power of the enemy, and be able to root out and supplant that enemy and his apostate angels; through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire." _

Jim then went on to say, "There will be times however when you don't have access to spring water. At these times, you need to drop a rosary into whatever water is available and recite the blessing. It will be good enough to get you through in a pinch."

Jim was walking John through the steps of making his own holy water when Dean came walking into the kitchen and pulled on his father's pant leg. "Not now Dean, Jim and I are busy. You need to go keep an eye on Sammy" John said as he turned his attention back to what he was doing. He was surprised however when Dean kicked him hard in the shin. He turned around to scold his little boy but saw the pleading in his eyes.

"What is it, what's wrong kiddo?" John asked as he bent down to question Dean.

Dean grabbed his Daddy's arm with both hands and tugged on it trying to get his dad to follow him.

"John, do you think something could be wrong?" Jim questioned when he saw how desperately Dean was trying to get his point across to his father.

Fearing that it could be about Sammy, John rushed to the living room and over to his youngest. He immediately noticed the flush on Sammy's little cheeks and the light sheen of sweat that covered his face. Sammy's breaths were also coming in quick pants instead of the slow easy breaths he normally exhibited while asleep.

Reaching out to feel his forehead, John was alarmed at the heat coming off of his baby boy. "Shit Jim, he's burning up" John gasped as he picked Sammy up and cradled him in his arms. He quickly grabbed the keys to the Impala and headed out as Jim and Dean followed him out the door. John quickly tossed his keys to Jim while he climbed into the passenger side of the car cradling Sammy to his chest. Jim helped Dean into the backseat before climbing in himself. He then started the car and they raced off towards the nearest hospital.

**TBC **_**The blessing for making the holy water came from Wikipedia the free encyclopedia.**_


	5. Chapter 5

**A Hard Road Ch. 5**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story.

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**Previously: **_"Shit Jim, he's burning up" John gasped as he picked Sammy up and cradled him in his arms. He quickly grabbed the keys to the Impala and headed out as Jim and Dean followed him out the door. John quickly tossed his keys to Jim while he climbed into the passenger side of the car cradling Sammy to his chest. Jim helped Dean into the backseat before climbing in himself. He then started the car and they raced off towards the nearest hospital._

Upon arriving at the hospital, John signed his son in as Jim held the wailing infant. Sammy had woken up on the trip to the hospital and had started crying immediately. His little face took on a light shade of red as the intensity of his wails grew and his little body shook. They didn't have long to wait for treatment however as a middle aged blonde woman wearing a doctor's coat approached the sobbing child. She immediately took in the blotched look on his face and knew he had a high fever. "Follow me please" she stated as John took the baby from Jim's arm. John immediately fell in step behind the doctor as Jim pulled Dean into his lap to get comfortable for what was probably going to be a long wait.

As doctor Sarah Fields and John walked along, she started asking questions to help her diagnose what the baby could be suffering from. "Sir, how long has your son been sick?" Sarah asked as she opened the door to treatment room five while motioning a nurse to join them.

"He was cranky earlier when he woke up from his nap around noon, but he didn't show any signs of a fever then" John answered as he lay Sammy down on the examining table when motioned to do so.

"Was he doing anything unusual like pulling at his ears?" Sarah asked as she pulled a medical instrument from it's base on the wall.

"Yeah, yes he was" John answered as he remembered Sammy pulling at his ears a few times during the day. "He also refused to eat his baby food earlier. He kind of grimaced with the first bite and then spit the second spoonful out. He wouldn't eat anymore after that."

Nodding her head in understanding, Sarah turned the light on the medical instrument so that she could peer inside the baby's ear canal. "Sir, would you please hold the child and keep his head still while I peer into his ear?"

"Sure" John said as he picked up his baby boy and cradled his head while Sarah looked into both ears.

"Poor little fella has a middle ear infection" Sarah stated as she looked with sympathy towards the crying infant. She didn't like the heat rolling off the child and knew his fever had to be pretty high. Turning to nurse Emily she said "Emily, get me a rectal temp on the baby and then I want a lukewarm bath drawn for the child, I don't want him going into any febrile seizures."

"Yes Doctor" Emily stated as she motioned John to lay the crying infant down again. She pulled off his little jeans and undid his diaper. As she inserted the thermometer into Sammy's little bottom, his wailing increased. "Shhh, it's okay little one" she whispered as she placed a comforting hand on the baby's cheek while his father stroked his curly brown locks. After a few minutes she withdrew the thermometer and saw that Sammy had a temperature of 103. 5. "Sir, would you please strip your son down. We need to put him in a lukewarm bath to get his temperature down" Emily stated as she informed the doctor of the temperature.

John carried Sammy into another room where he sat his child in a small tub. Sammy began to instantly shiver as the water was scooped over his hot body. His sobbing continued however it wasn't as loud now since he was exhausted from crying so much. After about fifteen minutes. Sammy was removed from the tub and when Emily checked his temperature again it had dropped to 100.2. Emily took Sammy from John's arms and dried the infant off and carried him back to the initial treatment room and put a clean diaper on Sammy along with his shirt, but left the jeans off. "The doctor will be back shortly" she told John before leaving the room.

Sarah returned a few minutes later carrying a syringe with her in one of her hands. "I've read on Sammy's chart that he doesn't have any known allergies. I'm going to give him an antibiotic shot for the infection, but I want to keep him for at least an hour to make sure he doesn't have any reactions to it" Sarah informed John as she asked him to sit on the exam table with Sammy held securely in his lap. She grasped the fleshy part of Sammy's leg and slid the needle in causing Sammy to cry out in pain. She quickly depressed the plunger, injecting the medicine while Sammy's dad tried to soothe the screaming child. Sarah placed a small bandage on the injection sight as she watched John rocking the baby back and forth while rubbing the child's arms.

After Sarah had finished giving the injection, John asked for permission for his oldest child and his pastor to come back and sit with them while they waited. He knew Dean was probably going crazy with worry for his baby brother. Sarah gave her permission and a nurse was sent to fetch the other two and bring them back.

When Dean walked into the room, John could tell that his oldest had been crying from the tear stains that marked his small cheeks. He pulled Dean into a comforting side hug with his right arm while his left held a sleeping Sammy to his chest. "It's okay Champ, Sammy's sleeping now. Sammy had an ear infection and it caused him to have a high fever. The doctor gave him some medicine and he's going to be fine now" John said as he watched Dean reach over to rub Sammy's back.

An hour later, Sammy was given the okay to go home after his fever dropped below 100 and he showed no signs of reacting to the antibiotic. John was given a prescription to pick up for the infection and told to make sure that Sammy took it all or the infection could return.

Over the next week, John dutifully gave Sammy his medicine as he worked on learning the Latin exorcisms with help from Jim. John knew he would never learn them by heart and would need a journal to keep them in, but at least his pronunciation was getting much better and so was Sammy.

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A few week passed uneventfully and when John looked at the date on the calendar, his mood became somber. It was December 20th and it was unseasonably warm for this time of year in Minnesota. Christmas was quickly approaching and it would be the family's first without Mary. He hadn't yet bought the boys any toys for the holiday and honestly didn't want to even think about running into town to buy them. He knew the town would be fully decorated with signs of Christmas everywhere. How could he expose the boys to so much cheeriness when they had just lost their mother and he had lost his wife. He hoped the holiday would just past quietly and he would make it up to the boys next year.

But as usual, Winchester luck hit and John had to sit back and watch as Pastor Jim's congregation showed up to decorate the house. He sucked in a breath as he saw Dean walk over and look out the window while the porch was decorated with garland and lights. But instead of a sad and wistful look, he noticed the sparkle that Dean's eyes took on as lawn ornaments were placed about. A huge smile lit his face as the manger scene was placed and lit up.

About thirty minutes later, Jim and the Winchesters watched as three men carried in a huge Christmas tree and placed it in the living room by the bay windows. Turning around to face Pastor Jim, Jamie said "We know things have been quite hectic for you Jim with the young family staying here with you and that you haven't had a chance to decorate so we though we would get it done for you. Amy and a few of the other ladies will be in shortly to decorate the tree."

"That will be wonderful, thank you Jamie" Pastor Jim said as he shook the young man's hand. "What a wonderful thing for you to do and I am sure the boys here will love it" Jim said as he motioned to Dean and Sammy. Dean was standing by the tree and Sammy was crawling over to the boxes of decorations that one of the other men had placed on the floor.

"Oh no you don't" said John as he swept a giggling Sammy up off the floor to keep him from destroying the ornaments. Even though he felt like crying inside from missing Mary so bad, John plastered a smile on his face to hide the hurt. Mary loved this holiday season most of all and reveled in decorating the house and yard. It hurt not to have her here now joining in with the festivities.

John placed Sammy into the playpen to watch as the ladies came in to decorate the tree to keep him out of the way. He watched as the one called Amy walked over to his youngest child.

"Hey there honey, would you like to help us decorate the tree?" she asked as she handed over a few ornaments to Dean.

Dean looked over to his dad for permission before nodding his head yes. Amy smiled and led him over to the tree. "Just place them anywhere you think they'll look good" Amy said as she handed Dean some plastic figurines. She smiled as Dean took a minute to contemplate where he would hang each and every figure. John noticed that Dean was happier right now than he had seen him in a long time.

Seeing that the children were occupied, Jamie walked up to John. "Mr. Winchester, I hope you don't take offense, but we all got together and bought the boys some clothing and toys for Christmas. Please don't think of it as charity. We know things have been kind of rough for you and your children and we just wanted to help out. We talked to Pastor Jim and got the boys sizes and then the ladies went out and did the shopping. We hope you'll accepts the gifts for the children in the way that it was meant, as a gesture of friendship."

John felt a lump form in his throat as tears came to his eyes. He didn't even know these people, yet they gave to his family out of the generosity of their hearts and expected nothing in return. At least he knew now that there was still some good in the world to combat the bad. "I don't know what to say" John said as he ran a calloused hand over his mouth.

"All you have to do is say yes" Jamie informed him with a grin upon his face.

"Yes, thank you fall or making Christmas special for my boys this year" John said as he reached out to shake the offered hand.

"No sir, thank you for allowing us to do it" Jamie replied before returning outside to help finish putting up the lights around the house.

As they finished decorating and the people of the congregation left, Jim and the Winchesters sat in the living room and gazed at the splendid beauty of the evergreen tree.

Five short days later, the boys awoke to find that the beautiful tree was surrounded by brightly wrapped packages. Jim sorted them out and John helped Sammy to open his while Dean took care of unwrapping his all on his own. Each child had seven new outfits along with new winter coats with hats and boots that would get them through the snowy weather to come. Dean had some matchbox cars, a farm animal set, and some action figures while Sammy had a see-n-say spinning toy along with some teethers and stacking blocks. There was also various children's books along with coloring books and crayons. John also found himself with some new clothing and a new winter jacket himself.

After all the gifts were opened, John relished in watching his children play with their new toys as he stood by the bay window. "Our boys are happy Mary" he whispered as he glanced out the window towards the brilliant blue sky. "I just wish you were here to see it."

**TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

**A Hard Road Ch. 6**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story.

**Author's Note: **Thanks to my anonymous reviewers for their wonderful comments. I'm so glad you are enjoying the story. Polly, I hope this is quick enough for you.

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Since it was getting well into the month of January, Jim decided that it was time for John to meet some of the hunters that would teach him the finer aspects of hunting. He had taught him all he could about the spiritual side of hunting and he knew John needed to learn more now. He wasn't looking forward to sending John on his way since he had gotten so attached to the boys during their all to brief stay with him. Since Bobby and Caleb were off on hunts of their own, he figured the best hunter to start with would be Daniel Elkins. Daniel was a gruff man who was considered a loner by the other hunters, but he could impart lots of valuable knowledge to John, especially about vampires and weapons. He just hoped Daniel, would accept this small family in without scaring the boys.

Jim started preparing breakfast so that the family would be well fed before they left. He was keeping an eye on Sammy who was playing in the playpen while Dean helped his daddy pack. Even though Dean wasn't speaking yet, Jim could tell he was upset about leaving by the sad look in the boy's eyes. How he wished that John would allow them to stay with him. He had even mentioned it to John but wasn't surprised when the young father had instantly negated the idea. He loved his kids fiercely and refused to be away from them for more than a few hours. He couldn't blame John after the rude awakening to finding out that demons did exist.

As he removed the scrambled eggs from the skillet, Jim heard the sound of Sammy clapping and turned around to see John and Dean entering the kitchen. He figured that they had finished packing and put their things by the door. "I hope you all are ready for a heart breakfast" Jim said as he placed the eggs on the table along with some sausage and pancakes. He knew Dean wasn't too fond of the eggs but loved the strawberry flavored pancakes that he made.

John reached into the playpen and picked Sammy up and swung his baby boy around in the air. "How's my little tiger doing today?" he asked as he nuzzled Sammy's face with his hair. Sammy giggled loudly as he clasped his hands to his daddy's face and planted an open mouthed kiss on his nose.

"Ewww" stated John teasingly as he wiped the slobber from his nose and returned the kiss. He was pleased to hear the soft sound of Dean laughing lightly from his chair. Maybe the kid would start talking soon. John pulled the high chair over next to his seat and placed Sammy in the chair while Jim took a bottle of orange juice from the refrigerator.

John fixed a plate for Dean and Sammy before fixing one for himself. Pastor Jim said the blessing and they all began to eat. They hadn't been eating long when John glanced over towards Dean. His birthday was only two days away now and he couldn't believe how big his oldest son was getting. He knew he couldn't give Dean a big birthday party since they didn't really know any other children, but he wanted to be able to do something special for him anyway. "Hey Champ, I was just thinking. You've got a birthday coming up and Daddy was wondering if there was anything special you'd like to do?" John watched as Dean thought things over before shrugging his shoulders. Knowing how much Dean liked pizza John said, "What do you say we stop at that new kid's restaurant called Chuck E Cheese that I've been hearing about on the way to Colorado?"

Dean's eyes lit up at the prospect of getting pizza and playing the games at the restaurant. He didn't like that big rat costume that they showed on the commercials, but his dad would keep the rat person away from him if it showed up. Dean shook his head vigorously to let his dad know he was pleased with the idea.

After finishing breakfast, John helped Jim clean up one last time and then gathered their things. "Jim, I don't know what we would have done without you over the past month. You've been a life saver to me and my boys" John said as he reached out to shake the pastor's hands.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed every minute that you and the boys were here. I want you know that you and your boys are always welcome at my home John. I hope you'll come back soon for a visit" Jim stated with moist eyes. His home was going to be lonely and quiet now without those two little boy to liven things up.

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Two days later, John was holding true to his promise. They had stopped in Boulder on their way to Manning, Colorado to meet up with Daniel Elkins. John had asked the motel manager for directions to the nearest Chucky E Cheese restaurant and twenty minutes later, he was pulling into the parking lot. He opened the back door of the Impala and reached in to get Sammy out of his car seat while Dean unbuckled himself. He hoisted Sammy into his left arm while he held Dean's hand with his right.

Walking into the restaurant, John was amazed at the sight that beheld his eyes. The restaurant contained a huge play area for children as well as a video arcade off to the side. Scanning the building further, he saw a stage area which contained some oversized mechanical zoo animals playing music. "What have I gotten myself into?" he wondered as a waiter walked up to greet them.

"Hello, welcome to Chuck E Cheese. If you'll follow me please, I'll show you to your table so you can order and then the little ones can go play. John followed the waiter over to a table where he and Dean sat down while the waiter got a high chair for Sammy. John ordered a pepperoni pizza with onions knowing that it was Dean's favorite. He then ordered a coke for him and Dean while pulling a bottle of juice for Sammy from his diaper bag.

It only took fifteen minutes for the pizza to arrive and Dean launched right into it with gusto. John on the other hand had to tear off small pieces of cheese from his slice to cool for Sammy. As they ate their meal, John saw Dean tense as a person dressed in a rat costume headed their way. Not wanting Dean's special day to be destroyed, he glared at the character and shook his head no giving the person the message to stay away. The costumed character promptly got the idea and walked to another table.

After they had eaten, John allowed Dean to play in the children's play area while he held Sammy and kept a close eye on his oldest. Seeing the fun his brother was having, Sammy pushed on John's chest trying to get away from his father. John grasped him a little more tightly and said ""No Sammy, I'm sorry but you've got to stay with Daddy." Sammy's bottom lip began to quiver and tears filmed his eyes. He didn't wanna stay with Daddy, he wanted to play with Dean. "De, De" he called out as he reached out his hands towards his big brother causing Dean to immediately stop in his tracks.

"Sammy, you said your first words" John touted as he hugged his baby boy. He watched the smile that quickly lit up Dean's face at realizing that Sammy had called him by name. Dean quickly left the play area and ran over to his baby brother. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Sammy" he whispered as he reached out to take him from John's embrace. John couldn't have been more happy if he'd just been told he won a million dollars. It had been almost three months since he had heard his oldest son's voice and that one word alone was music to his ears. He wiped the tears from his face as he hugged both boys to him. This day had turned out to be very special indeed.

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Arriving in Manning, Colorado, John pulled his car into the narrow dirt lane of the isolated canyon that led to Daniel Elkin's home. He wasn't sure what to expect as he made his way down the long winding road. Jim had told him the man was kind of a loner and he wasn't sure what kind of reception he would get. He neared the end of the drive and pulled up into the yard in bad need of mowing. He looked at the rustic old cabin and noticed that it seemed relatively well maintained considering the condition of the yard. He got out of the car and then reached in to help his boys out. He was just starting to turn towards the house when he heard a gruff voice holler "Who the hell are you and what do you want?"

John looked up to see a man in torn jeans with a ragged looking jacket holding a shotgun aimed at him and his boys. He tensed as he pushed Dean behind him and handed him his baby brother. He didn't know if the man was crazy enough to actually shoot at them. "The name's Winchester, Jim Murphy sent me." John answered and then breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the man lower his gun.

"Damn Pastor, always sending people out my way when he knows I like to be left alone" Daniel grumbled as he waved John to come inside the house.

As John entered the house with his boys, he was surprised to see an old desk that held books and notes he assumed where about some of the hunts that Elkins had been researching. He also noticed the gun cabinet that lined one wall which was full of many different kinds of rifles. He whistled in appreciation of the extensive gun collection.

"Sit yourself down there and make sure those kids don't touch nothing" Daniel said as he pointed at the old looking couch. He didn't like kids, especially little ones and wished Murphy had sent the man somewhere else.

"My boys are well behaved, you won't have to worry about them touching anything" John informed Daniel as he sat down with Dean beside him and Sammy in his lap.

"Yeah, well I think you're a damned fool for even thinking you can hunt when you have two little brats to take care of. You need to just go on back home and forget you ever knew about the supernatural world." Daniel stated as he looked John in the eye. There was no way the man could ever become a decent hunter by dragging two young kids around with him all of the time.

"I'm sorry but I can't do that. If you won't help me then I'll find someone who will" John informed the grizzled hunter as he stood up to leave.

"I didn't say I wouldn't help ya, just sit your ass down. I just think it's a bad idea to drag two brats around with ya.

"First of all, my children are not brats so stop calling them that. These children are the reason I want to learn to hunt. Their mother was killed by something evil over my baby's bed. I won't allow evil to ever get near my kids again and I will get revenge on the thing that killed their mother" John stated with conviction.

"Mister, I only wish that were true for your boys sake. When you start hunting, evil will gravitate towards you and your family. It will try to use those boys to get back at you."

John thought for a few minutes about the words Daniel had said. "Well, I'll just have to make sure that the evil out there doesn't know my boys exist."

Daniel snorted at hearing the words. "It's too late for that already since your wife was killed over your baby's crib. I'll teach you what I can to protect yourself and the boys. I just hope it's enough."

**TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

**A Hard Road Ch. 7**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story.

**Author's Note: **The information I used to describe the protective sigils that Daniel teaches John to make can be found at

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**Previously: **_John thought for a few minutes about the words Daniel had said. "Well, I'll just have to make sure that the evil out there doesn't know my boys exist." _

_Daniel snorted at hearing the words. "It's too late for that already since your wife was killed over your baby's crib. I'll teach you what I can to protect yourself and the boys. I just hope it's enough."_

"I'm sure anything that you can teach me will be of help" John stated letting the grizzled hunter know that he was ready to learn whatever knowledge Daniel was willing to impart with him.

"Of course it will since you ain't nothing but a greenhorn when it comes to hunting, another damn novice" Daniel grumbled as he ran his hand through his two day beard growth speckled with gray. "Well it's too damn late to get anything done tonight and by the looks of them there youngens, they need to get some sleep." Daniel then went on to say. "I ain't got no extra bedrooms for ya. You'll just have to make your children comfortable on the couch for the night and you can sleep on my old army cot."

"I'd appreciate it, thanks" John said as he accepted the hunter's offer. He didn't think the man gave his approval to others staying over very often and he was grateful for the acceptance, even if the man seemed a little off by his standards. John arranged both of his boys where they could sleep comfortably on the couch. He stripped a sleeping Sammy and changed him into a dry diaper before putting a sleeper on him. He then tugged off Dean's jeans and covered up both of his boys with a warm blanket provided by Daniel. The last thing he did before going to bed himself was to place the army cot beside the couch where he himself would keep the boys blocked in so that they didn't roll off the couch during the night.

A few hours later, John was awakened by the sound of Dean moaning. He opened his eyes to see his oldest child covered in sweat as he tossed and turned in a restless sleep. Knowing that Dean was probably having another nightmare, John reached over and began to rub comforting circles on Dean's back as he hummed the tune to _Hush Little Baby. _Within minutes, he felt the tension ease within Dean's body as his son slowly relaxed into a restful sleep once again.

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John was awakened early the next morning by the sounds of creaking floorboards in the old rustic cabin as Daniel walked into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Glancing out the window, he saw the sun was just beginning to rise on the horizon. He sat up on the cot and stretched before glancing back at his boys who were both still sleeping. Straightening the blanketover them once again, he walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table as Daniel poured them both a cup of coffee.

"Better enjoy the coffee while you can. As soon as those boys of yours wake up, we're all going outside so I can show ya how to carve protective sigils into the trees. These sigils will keep demons from being able to get anywhere near ya as long as they're not defaced and you keep them up" Daniel informed John as he gulped down a cup of the strong brew.

Two hours later after the boys had eaten breakfast, John dressed his baby in some of the new winter clothing he had had gotten as a present while staying with Pastor Jim. Snow had begun to fall lightly overnight and there was a dusting of powdered snow on the ground. He put Sammy's winter coat, mittens, and boots on him while Dean dressed himself appropriately for the weather. John picked Sammy up and he and the boys followed Daniel outside to the nearest clearing where John lowered Sammy to the ground and told Dean to keep a close eye on him as they played in the snow. John knew the boys would be okay out in the weather for a little while since they both were wearing snow pants that would keep them dry. He watched as Dean started entertaining Sammy by making small snowballs and rolling them to his brother before turning his attention back to Daniel.

Walking over to the nearest tree, Daniel showed John the quincunx symbol that he had etched into a tree. "This here symbol is a hoodoo symbol. It is basically used to ward off enemies. As you can see. the pattern is like what you would see on the number five dice except for the outer four units are connected to the middle unit by a straight line. When you combine it with bloodweed, it becomes one hell of a powerful charm." Daniel handed over a sharp carving knife to John and had him carve the symbol into five other trees making sure that he had it in perfect form before allowing him to move on to the next protective sigil.

Next Daniel showed John a symbol that looked like a star which was surrounded by a circle. "I'm sure you've seen this one before. It's called a pentagram. A lot of people believe that pentagrams are only used for satanic purposes which is a common misconception. Sure, some cults have used them for evil purposes by making sure that the star is inverted so that the tip is pointing down. When used correctly, the pentagram is actually a protection symbol. The four points of the star are used to symbolize earth, air, fire, and water, the fifth point usually symbolizes your spirit." After he explained the symbol, Daniel had John carve it into a few trees also making sure that he felt comfortable with how to make it before moving on.

"Now the most important sigil I want to teach you how to make is called a Devil's Trap. This sigil is primarily used to control demons and it really pisses them off to get caught in one. A Devil's Trap is most effective when it is painted onto a roof or the trunk of your car to basically create a lock box that demon's can't get into" Daniel informed John as he started walking toward his rusted old '65 Chevelle.

John followed Daniel over to the car as he glanced over at his boy to make sure they were doing alright. He noticed that both boys cheeks were turning pink from the cold and knew that he would have to take them inside before too long to warm them up. Focusing on Daniel once again, he saw him pointing to a drawing on the trunk of his vehicle. "Now this here is one variation of the Devil's Trap. As you can see, it's basically a star drawn within a triangle with letters and numeric symbols in the three corners. Once this is drawn onto your vehicle, there is no way a demon or spirit can get inside your car. This will keep your boys safe in the car when we go on a simple salt and burn.

"Wait a minute, what makes you think I'm going to leave my boys alone in the car to go on a salt and burn?" John asked incredulously at the grizzled hunter even thinking such a thing.

"You'll leave them there because I damned well said so. Boy, you don't want those kids at a graveside when a nasty spirit makes it presence known. It's best to keep them safe and secure where they can't be harmed damn it. I ain't gonna be responsible for no baby getting hurt you hear me?" Daniel grumbled before starting off towards the house. "Now get them boys and get em inside before they get too freaking cold."

John huffed in irritation at the man before walking over to his boys and ruffling Dean's hair before reaching down to pick up Sammy. "Come on boys, time to go back inside" he said as he hoisted his baby on his hip. John walked towards the house with Dean obediently following. After getting his kids inside, John took off Sam's coat, boots and mittens, before helping Dean with his. He then sat Sammy on the floor with his stacking blocks. "Dean watch your brother while Daniel and I finish talking." He saw Dean nod his head and then sit down to play with Sammy.

Walking over to the side room where Daniel was now waiting on him, John saw that the man was removing a large area rug from the floor. He was immediately surprised by the intricate design that was hidden there by the expanse of the rug. "Now this here is the second variation of a Devil's Trap and the more potent one" Daniel informed him. "When a demon steps on or under this one it is rendered powerless. It will keep the demon held in one place until you are able to exorcise it. As you can see the details within this one are very intricate so I suggest you get yourself a journal and start making drawings of all the sigils I have shown you. You'll need them for future reference."

"Actually, I already have one" John informed the older man before walking into the room where the boys were to retrieve it. He had bought the journal to copy the exorcisms that Jim had taught him since he knew he wouldn't remember them by heart. As he pulled his journal from his bag, John noticed that Sammy had crawled away from the blocks and over towards the couch. He stared in fascination as Sammy pulled himself up to his feet. He looked over to see Dean also holding his breath.

"Come on tiger, you can do it" he whispered as he saw Sammy let go of the couch. He watched as Sammy took four tentative steps before plopping down on his diaper clad behind. He started to stand up to walk over and pick him up when he saw Sammy struggling to his feet again. Sammy pushed himself into a standing position and looked over towards Dean who had clapped his hands and was now wiggling his fingers for Sammy to come towards him. Sammy took five shaky steps before wobbling and then regained his balance and took the last four steps toward his big brother with Dean pulling him into a big hug. "You did it Sammy" he whispered into his baby brother's ear before turning tear filled eyes and a happy face towards their dad.

Taking a deep breath and finally speaking his first sentence in months, Dean said "Did you see him Daddy? Did you see Sammy walking?"

John swung both boys up into his arms and said "Yeah, I saw him champ. He did great didn't he. I'm so proud of him, but I'm proud of you also,"

"What for Daddy?" Dean questioned since he hadn't done anything special.

"Because you're always there for Sammy, encouraging him and because I'm so glad to hear your voice again kiddo. You don't know how happy you've just made me." John stated before pulling his boys into a tight hug once again.

**TBC**--_**I hope you liked the schmoopy ending for this chapter, the action will start in the next chapter as John goes on his first Salt and Burn.**_


	8. Chapter 8

**A Hard Road Ch. 8**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story.

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John couldn't imagine his day getting any more eventful than it already was. He had taken his first real steps in learning to become a hunter with Daniel teaching him how to draw and carve the protective sigils that could someday save his life or the life of his children. Top that off with Sammy taking his first steps and Dean speaking his first sentence since the night Mary had died, well let's just say it made for an exciting day.

He peered over at his sons who were sleeping after their own exciting day of playing in the snow. He relished the memory of watching them being so carefree and rolling snowballs around on the ground. He marveled at the way that Dean was so attentive of Sammy and enjoyed playing with the tyke even though he wasn't even a year old yet. He could already see the strong bond that was forming between his boys and knew it would become even more solid over time. He was drawn from his musings as Sammy began to toss about in his sleep. Not wanting him to wake Dean, he stood up and started towards the couch to pick Sammy up only to see Dean throw a comforting arm over Sammy and pull him close. John watched amazed as his youngest snuggled into the warm embrace and plopped his thumb in his mouth, suckling on it lightly. Within minutes, his baby was soundly sleeping again.

Knowing that Daniel was waiting on him, he stood up and walked into the kitchen where the older man had prepared a fresh pot of coffee saying that they would need it to stay awake for their salt and burn tonight. John was nervous thinking about going on his first actual hunt, but Daniel had said that it would be the best thing for him to start off with. The man was a seasoned hunter so John figured he knew best. He had no sooner sat down at the table than Daniel started telling him about what to expect when they went to the graveyard tonight.

"Before we leave, there are a few things you need to know about vengeful spirits. A vengeful spirit sometimes comes about when somebody dies in an unnatural way. Their spirits aren't able to move on because they feel as if they have unfinished business left here on earth. Over a period of time, they become angry at being caught in limbo and not being able to move on. Once they become disturbed, they start having childlike temper tantrums and start throwing around objects using a telekinetic force. When these spirits become severely pissed off, then they become lethal.

John listened very intently as Daniel explained how spirits became vengeful and to be honest, he wasn't all that surprised that spirits would become angry over time being stuck in limbo, hell he knew he would go crazy himself. The prospect of Mary being stuck in a place like that and becoming vengeful scared the hell out of him. He prayed that she had been able to move on and that they could someday be together again. He didn't want to even think about her being hunted down to be salted and burned by some unforgiving hunter.

After Daniel had finished his monologue, John asked "So how do we recognize when one of these vengeful spirits are near, I mean is there something we should be looking for?"

Daniel smile and said "I thought you'd never ask. The first sign that tells you that a vengeful spirit is about to make itself know is a sudden drop in temperature, and by sudden I mean it will get freaking cold in a matter of seconds. After the temperature drop, a breeze will begin to swirl about and you should see a shimmering haze as the spirit tries to take corporeal form. That's when you need to shoot at the spirit with shells loaded with rock salt. Once the spirit takes corporeal form, they can be a bitch to deal with as the fling you about with their telekinetic energy."

"Wait a minute, salt rounds? " John asked in surprise. He knew that salt was used to line the windows and doors, but shooting it too, what would that accomplish?

"Hell yes, salt is what scatters the form and keeps it from coalescing" Daniel replied. "Now go in there and get some sleep yourself, you're gonna need it. We're leaving at midnight to do a salt and burn on old Harry Dimwittle. He's been terrorizing the residents of the house where he committed suicide almost seventy years ago. His body is interred in Gravel Hill Cemetery."

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Midnight that night found John following Daniel's cobalt blue '65 Chevelle with both of his boys sleeping in the back seat of the Impala. Sammy had never awoken as he carried him out and placed him in his car seat and buckled him in. He had tucked Sammy's blue baby blanket with the bears on it securely around him. It was the only thing that had survived the fire since he had wrapped Sammy up in it when he grabbed him out of his crib the night his wife had died. Dean had woken up on his own and staggered out behind him stumbling over his feet a few times since he was still so sleepy. After taking care of Sammy, he had made sure that Dean was buckled in also before covering him up with another blanket that he kept in the trunk. They weren't even on the road five minutes before Dean had fallen back to sleep.

John was looking forward to the upcoming salt and burn, but he was still nervous at the same time. He couldn't help but feel some trepidation knowing that his boys would be there. He prayed that they would sleep through the whole thing safely. Upon arriving at the cemetery, he and Daniel would be drawing a the variation of the devils trap on the car that would turn it into a virtual lockbox, which should keep them safe.

After they arrived at the cemetery, John parked his shiny black muscle car behind Daniel's Chevelle and turned around to check on his boys. He was surprised to see Dean had awakened. "Hey champ, what are you doing awake?" John asked as he smiled at his oldest. Looking a little sheepish, Dean replied "I have to pee Daddy."

"Oh, um okay, just wait a minute sport." John climbed out of the car and walked around to the passenger side to help Dean out of the car, He instructed Dean to go over by a bush just outside the cemetery gates and do his business while he stood by the open door to listen out for Sammy. Dean did as instructed and returned as soon as he had finished. Seeing that his dad was drawing something on the car, Dean said "What are you doing daddy?"

Knowing that he now had to tell Dean something, he said, "Dean, Daniel needs my help with a hunt. I am going to be just right over there." He pointed to the area of the grave with his finger. "I want you to stay in the car with Sammy. These pictures that I am drawing will keep you both safe. I'm going to lay Sammy down on the seat so he can sleep better and I want you to lay down with him okay. Make sure you snuggle up close to him so Sammy won't get cold. Can you do that for me champ?"

"Okay Daddy" Dean said with a big yawn as he covered his mouth with his little hand. He climbed into the back seat and lay down while his daddy took Sammy from his car seat and then lay him against Dean's chest before tucking them both in.

John closed the car door and took one last look at his boys before walking over to help Daniel carry the equipment to the grave sight. John got an eerie feeling as he forced the shovel into the hard ground to remove his first spade full of dirt, he couldn't help but think that he was committing grave desecration. As he dug, he glanced over at the car every so often to make sure that the boys were doing fine. It took him and Daniel a little over two hours before they heard the solid thump of their shovels hitting wood.

He watched as Daniel used his shovel to break open the pine coffin lid. He unwittingly glanced into the pine box and gagged at the sight of the skeletal bones laying there in the wooden coffin. His body gave off an involuntary shudder as he poured salt all over the skeleton. He watched as Daniel uncapped the gasoline and prepared to pour the volatile liquid into the grave. John tensed as he suddenly felt the air temperature around him plummet.

Remembering what Daniel had said, John pulled his gun up and prepared to fire as he searched the surrounding area knowing the spirit was about to make its presence known. As he scanned, he noticed a shimmering form coming together off to his right. Just before he could pull the trigger however, he felt himself lifted off of his feet and thrown backwards towards a concrete monument. He hissed in pain as his back collided with the unyielding stone before slumping awkwardly to the ground. Goosebumps speckled his skin as he raised his head to see the corporeal form of Harry Dimwittle pointing an accusing finger at him.

"Adulterer" Harry spat out in venom. "How dare you sleep with my wife?' he asked before wrapping his cold hands around John's throat and beginning to squeeze. John gasped in vain trying to draw in air while trying to pry the spirits fingers from his throat. He wasn't prepared for the spirit to attack him bodily. He had to get himself free before the damn thing strangled him to death. His fear ratcheted up knowing that if he didn't, his two young sons would be left as orphans to be raised by the state. No way in hell was he allowing that to happen.

Just as he saw the blackness beginning to encroach on his vision, John felt the hands suddenly disappear and drew in large gulps of air. As he struggled to make it to his feet on weak legs, he looked over to see the conflagration dying down within the grave sight. Daniel had finished the salt and burn and kept him from possibly being killed by the vengeful spirit.

Daniel walked over and helped John to his feet. "You did good Winchester, for a first time anyway. Now you know what to expect when a salt and burn goes bad. We'll have to work on that speed of yours if your going to keep yourself from being thrown through the air again."

"Yeah, thanks" John muttered as Daniel pulled him to his feet. "Don't think I want to ever experience that feeling again" John said as he helped Daniel refill the grave after the fire had died out. His back hurt like hell when lifting the shovels full of dirt and he knew he would most likely have some pretty impressive bruises by morning.

After gathering all the evidence that they had ever been there, they carried the gear back to Daniel's car and put it in the trunk. Walking over to his own car, John glanced into the Impala thankful to find that both boys of his boys were sleeping peacefully in the back. He didn't want to disturb them, but he knew he had to make sure they stayed safe on the ride back. He reached in and scooped Sammy up and placed him in his car seat once again and then buckled Dean in before heading back to Daniel's cabin.

Once they arrived at the cabin, John carried Sammy in and placed him on the couch, tucking a pillow beside him to keep him from rolling off and then returned to the car for Dean. He removed the pillow and placed Dean beside Sammy knowing that the boys slept better when they felt a connection between them. After both of his boys were securely tucked in, he thought about taking a hot shower to relax his aching muscles and back but he was just too damned tired. He stripped off his jeans and lay down on the cot on his stomach to keep from putting any pressure on his back. His last thought, "Damn I sure hope they boys decide to sleep late."

**TBC**


	9. Chapter 9

**A Hard Road Ch. 9**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story.

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**Previously: **_John stripped off his jeans and lay down on the cot on his stomach to keep from putting any pressure on his back. His last thought, "Damn I sure hope they boys decide to sleep late."_

John's hopes were dashed when just a few hours later, he heard the sounds of cooing coming from his youngest. "If I just lay here and pretend not to hear him, maybe Sammy will go back to sleep" thought John hoping to get a little more sleep. He kept his eyes closed but listened intently just in case. He was pleased to hear the cooing stop just a few minutes later. "Yes, I fooled the little bugger."

John soon found out how wrong he was though as Sammy crawled over towards him and began to pat him on the face with spit slobbered hands. He peeked open one eye causing Sammy to squeal with laughter. "Da, da, da" Sammy said as he reached out his arms to be held. A smile immediately lit up John's face at realizing his youngest had finally called him daddy. "Yep, that's me da da" he said joyously as he sat up gingerly from the pain in his back and reached over to pick up his baby.

"I bet you're hungry taren't you tiger" John said as he cradled Sammy in his arms and blew a raspberry on his tummy causing him to wrinkle up his nose. "Whew, you obviously need a diaper change too."

"I'm hungry too Daddy" Dean informed his father as he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He had woken up as he felt Sammy moving on the couch.

"Okay Champ, how about I change Sammy's diaper and then you can feed him his bottle while I go fix something for the two of us?"

"Okay Daddy" Dean said excited at the prospect of feeding his little brother. He loved spending time with his baby brother more than anything else, well that and spending time with daddy too.

John quickly changed Sammy and then propped him up in Dean's arms so that Dean could feed him. He went into Daniel's kitchen and grabbed a skillet and fried up some eggs for him and Dean allowing Daniel to sleep, there was no reason for the older hunter to be up too after such a late night.

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Over the next few weeks, Daniel worked with John to learn other aspects of using weapons than just rifle shooting. He knew there would be times when John needed to learn to set snares and use different kinds of weapons. He introduced John to the crossbow as well as how to protect himself with a machete. He informed John that the machete was necessary for decapitating vampires since that was the only way they could really be killed. John had been blown away learning of their actual existence. Up until that time, he hadn't really believe that vampires existed.

As John practiced, the skills became more and more advanced at handling himself and the many various weapons that Daniel had him working with. John also showed himself to be very adept at dismantling and cleaning the weapons as well as hand to hand combat which was a result of having served in the Marines. John took pride in being able to go up against Daniel and hold his own in practice sessions.

Finally, they reached a point where Daniel felt that John had learned all he could. It was time for John to move on and learn other needed skills to survive life as a hunter. "John, I've been thinking. You've made such great strides with everything while you've been here. I think you've finally reached that point where I've taught you all I can and now it's time to learn from somebody else."

"I'm not so sure about that Daniel, I mean there is still so much that I need to get better with. I think…"

"John, getting better will come with time. Believe me, the more you do things, the better you will become at them. I've talked to Jim earlier today and we both agree it's time for you to move on, to meet other hunters" Daniel said as he placed a hand on John's shoulder. "Believe me, I wish I could teach you more. I've actually enjoyed having you here even if you did have two children under foot all the time. I'm going to miss you and those two little rascals.

"We'll miss you too" John admitted as he held out his hand to the older hunter. Daniel reached out to shake John's offered hand and then pulled his protégé into a hug. "Take care of yourself Winchester. I'm here if you ever need me."

John returned the hug and thanked his mentor for everything. Returning to the cabin, he packed his and the boys things as Daniel talked to him about what he would be doing next. Loading up the Impala and buckling the boys in, John glanced back at the cabin and the man standing on the porch. He smiled wistfully and threw up his hand. He was going to miss the old coot. John climbed into the car and looked back smiling at Dean and Sammy. "What do you say boys, you ready to hit the road?"

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As John headed down the long winding road towards his next destination, he glanced in the rearview mirror and the scene that met his eyes warmed his heart. Dean had taken out one of the books they had gotten for Christmas and was _reading_ it to his baby brother by using the pictures in the book. John recognized it as The Three Little Pigs, but Dean had renamed the characters after the three of them. Treasuring the moment, John listened to the story and was as captivated as Sammy was by it.

"Then that big bad Daniel wolf, he went to da second wittle piggy's house" Dean told Sammy keeping the story on his level as he showed him the picture. "That little piggy wasn't too smart either cause the knucklehead built his house outa sticks. "Then that bid bad Daniel wolf, you know what he did? He huffed and he puffed" Dean made the motions to show Sammy what those words meant. "And then he blew da house down. But that little porker was fast just wike his brother and he ran all da way to the third wittle piggy's house."

John had to hold in the giggles as Dean went on with the story. He didn't want to ruin the moment by having Dean think he was laughing at him. He had never realized that Dean had been listening so closely to the story on the nights that he had read it after putting his boys to bed. Hearing Dean take in a breath and continue, John listened it with fascination to see how Dean would end the story.

"And that third little piggy was named Dean cause he was da smart one. He built his house out of brick. Daniel wolf knocked on that door and he said Wittle pig, wittle pig, wet me come in. But those wittle pigs said NO, not by da hairs on their chinny chin chins." By now, Sammy was giggling so hard that John was worried that he might start choking so he kept a very close eye on his youngest and how he was breathing. "Well that Daniel wolf thought he would just blow the house down again. Then I'll huff and I'll puff" Dean did the motions again relishing the wide eyed look on Sammy's face. "And I'll blow your house in. But that nasty wolf got a surprise because nothing happened. That house didn't fall down wike da others."

Sammy clapped his hands excitedly as Dean neared the ending of the story. If he weren't strapped in his car seat, John would have sworn that he would be jumping up and down on the leather seats by now.

"Well that Daniel wolf wasn't about to let those wittle piggys win so he climbed up on da roof and he climbed down the chimney." Dean started giggling himself at this point and had to tell the rest of the story in between bursts of giggles. "That crazy wolf didn't know they was cooking and he landed in da pot and those wittle piggys had wolf stew for dinner."

Not able to hold it in any longer, John let loose a laugh so long and hard that he had to wipe the tears from his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. Dean looked at his daddy and wondered why he was crying and laughing at the same time.

"Daddy, why you crying?" Dean asked with a voice full of innocence.

"Daddy's not crying son, these are what they call tears of happiness because they come when somebody is laughing so hard it makes their eyes water. You've made me so happy because that's the best story I ever heard" John informed Dean trying to put the explanation in a way that his five year old would understand it.

"But Daddy, you read the story to me and Sammy all the time, how could it be the best you ever heard?" Dean asked in wonderment.

"That's easy kiddo, it's because I got to hear you tell it and you made Sammy and me very happy with it. That makes it the best story in the world to me.

Dean beamed at hearing the praise from his father. He liked being able to make Sammy and his daddy laugh. He couldn't imagine a better feeling in the world.

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Later that afternoon, John finally arrived at the destination that Jim had given him. He pulled into the yard and glanced around at the cars in the drive. He could see the hood propped up on an old '68 Ford Mustang that was red in color. As he pulled up, he saw a man dressed in grease stained coveralls and wearing a baseball cap emerge from under the hood. He used an old rag to wipe the grease from his hands and then pulled off his ball cap to scratch his head. He figured the man to be Bobby Singer, owner and operator of Singer Salvage.

Bobby Singer was working on an old classic Mustang when he heard the sound of an engine rumbling up his drive. He wondered if it was the man that Jim had called to tell him about earlier. He knew the man's name was John Winchester and that his wife had been killed by a demon. Jim wanted him to work with the up and coming young hunter to teach him all the ins and outs of researching as well as other aspects of hunting like making his own ammunition. He stood up as the car approached and wiped the grease from his hands. He watched as the man climbed out of the car. Bobby was immediately surprised as the back door to the vehicle was opened and a small blond headed youngster stepped out. And if that wasn't enough, the man bent down to reach into his own classic car and emerged with a baby in his arms.

Bobby's mouth dropped open in shock as he whispered "Holy Shit." Jim hadn't warned him about the man having children and one of them a baby no less. He stood staring as the man walked up to him with the youngest held in one arm while the other hid behind his leg.

"Hi, the name's John Winchester and these are my boys Dean and Sammy he said as he motioned to each boy.

**TBC **


	10. Chapter 10

**A Hard Road Ch. 10**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story.

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**Previously: **_"Hi, the name's John Winchester and these are my boys Dean and Sammy he said as he motioned to each boy. _

John could tell from the look on the hunter's face that he wasn't expecting him to show up with children. He wished Jim had mentioned that important fact when he talked to Bobby, but there was nothing he could do about that now. He immediately tensed a little as Bobby started walking towards him and his children not knowing what to expect from the man. He could feel Dean clutching tight to his pant leg and knew that his little boy was scared.

As Bobby approached the newbie hunter and his two young children, he could tell that John was tense just from reading his body language. The man took on a protective quality as he pulled the baby in just a little closer to his chest and adjusted his stance to protect the oldest. In a way he couldn't blame the man since he knew he must have looked kind of imposing the way he reacted when seeing the tots. Bobby pulled out the grease rag from his pocket and wiped his hands off before reaching out his right hand. "Hi there, the name's Bobby Singer" he said as he plastered a welcoming smile on his face. "I know you and your boys must be tired after such a long ride."

Bobby motioned for John to follow him to the house as he started walking towards the porch. As he climbed up the stairs, he motioned for his guard dog Rumsfeld to stand down so that he wouldn't attack the unknown family and scare the kids. Bobby held open the front door and allowed John and the boys to enter before walking into the house himself. "Just make yourself comfortable, I know it looks a little messy, but I do have a system to all this clutter.

As John glanced around the room, he scoffed at the idea of it being a little messy. Hell the place looked as if it hadn't been cleaned in months. There were books stacked into high piles everywhere around the room. He'd have to keep a close eye on Sammy to make sure his youngest didn't try to climb up them. He walked over towards the sofa and removed the old newspapers that were scattered on it before sitting down. Dean climbed up beside him and sat while he placed Sammy in his lap. When he heard the sound of footsteps, he glanced up to see Bobby walking towards them and carrying a couple bottles of beer and a glass of milk.

"I though you could probably use a cold beer after your long ride" Bobby stated as he handed the beer to John. The beer wasn't just one of the ordinary store bought ones, this one had a little extra ingredient of holy water added. He served the special beer to all of his visitors just in case. He watched intently as John opened the bottle and took a long sip. When nothing happened, he then asked Dean if he would like the milk. Dean looked up at his daddy with questioning eyes and when John nodded that it was okay, Dean accepted the milk.

Bobby sat down in the chair next to the sofa, opened his own beer and look a long swig before looking up at John. He wasn't sure how to start a conversation with the man since he really didn't know him. Jim had only given him the basic facts about the man wanting to learn to hunt and that he had lost his wife to a demon. He couldn't exactly bring it up in front of the boys since it could be a touchy subject for them. Bobby cleared his throat and said. "So John, Jim hasn't told me much about you other than you want to learn to hunt. Is there anything you think I need to know before training starts tomorrow?"

John glanced down at his feet thinking about the words that he needed to say. He had to make sure this man understood why it was important that he learned to become a hunter. "It's not that I _want_ to learn, but I _need_ to learn to hunt. My wife was killed in Sammy's nursery when he was only six months old. We can discuss the details later of what exactly happened, but for now, just know that I won't give up."

Bobby completely understood what the man was going through. Hell, he had lost his own wife because of a supernatural entity. "Believe me, I understand what you're going through and I'm here to help you anyway I can. I just want to make sure that you know what you're getting yourself into. It's going to be a long hard road with living the life of a hunter, especially with two young kids to raise."

"I've already thought about that, but it's what I have to do and if you won't help me, then I will find somebody who will" John informed the hunter truthfully.

"Now wait a cotton picking minute. I didn't day I wouldn't help you ya danged idjit. If Jim Murphy sent you here, then he felt it was pretty important that we work together" Bobby said as he took off his ball cap and scratched his head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get so defensive with you. I just hate it when people question what I've chosen to do. I'll admit I've questioned myself sometimes about becoming a hunter, but I am doing it for my kids. I have to be able to protect them if that thing ever comes back" John stated trying to make Bobby understand.

"Well then, we better get started on your training tomorrow morning. Right now, I think you could use some rest and a decent meal."

"Yeah, I guess you're right" John said as he stood up and placed Sam on his hip. Me and my boys will get out of your way then and we'll be back tomorrow morning." John took Dean by the hand and started walking towards the door when he heard Bobby calling out to him.

"Why don't you and your boys just stay here. I've got plenty of room. There's no sense in having to spend the night in some motel" Bobby said knowing that the life of a hunter left little room for earning cash.

"Are you sure? I mean it was obvious you weren't expecting kids to be a part of the deal when we first arrived" John asked making sure that Bobby knew what he was getting himself into.

"Yeah, it will be nice to hear the sounds of children around the house" Bobby said with a melancholy tone to his voice. He and his wife had planned on starting a family of their own before he had been forced to take her life. They had even bought some baby items in hopes of her becoming pregnant soon. He thought about the hand carved baby crib that he had spent hours working on sitting out in the shed covered by some sheets. Maybe he should pull it out even though it was meant to be for one of his own children someday. He would need to bring it inside and clean it up some so the baby would have a decent place to sleep.

John could see that Bobby's mind had drifted off to something that left him with a forlorn look on his face so he sat back down quietly waiting for the man to work through his memories. He wondered what could have happened in the hunter's past that led him to traversing the path that he himself was about to undertake.

Withdrawing from his memories, Bobby looked over at the small family and knew that he had to help them no matter what. He had to make sure those little boys were safe and that their father could protect them. He would do whatever was necessary to make sure this small family unit was never shattered any more than what it already was. Smiling at John, Bobby said "Well, it looks like that old crib I have out in the shed will finally get some use out of it. I could use you're help in getting it in later if you don't mind."

John's eyebrows raised in surprise at hearing the man had a baby crib, he didn't really seem like the fatherly type, but then maybe there was a reason behind that. John wondered if he had lost a child of his own which caused him to become a hunter. "Sure, I'll be glad to help, if you're sure you don't mind Sammy using it."

"Nah, I don't mind at all. How about you and your boys get cleaned up while I go make us something to eat. Will hotdogs and chili be alright?' Bobby asked since he didn't know what the little ones liked.

"Yeah, that'll be fine" John replied knowing Dean liked hotdogs., they would have to see about the chili.

"Let me show you to your rooms" Bobby said as he started walking up the stairs. He led John to the first room on the right and said the boys could sleep in there, while John took the room across the hall.

"If it's okay with you, I think I'll just bunk with my boys" John stated knowing that he wasn't yet ready to allow them to sleep in a room away from him. He needed to have them close, to make sure they were safe.

"That's fine, whatever you want" Bobby said as he then showed John where the bathroom and linen closet was so they could get cleaned up for dinner. As John started running some bath water for the boys, Bobby went downstairs to get dinner started. Once he was sure the water temperature wasn't too hot, John stripped Sammy and put him into the tub while Dean took care of undressing himself. John could tell that Sammy was getting tired since he didn't splash around like his usual self, instead he sat still while John bathed him and washed his hair. While Dean finished his bath, John dried Sammy off and then dressed him in his pajamas. He had no doubt that Sammy would be going to sleep right after dinner. As soon as Dean finished, John took his boys downstairs and was surprised to see the highchair sitting beside the table. He placed Sammy into the chair while Bobby fixed them all a plate.

After they had finished eating, John placed a now sleeping Sammy in Dean's arms while he and Bobby went out to get the crib. "Keep an eye on your baby brother for me kiddo" he told Dean before ruffling his hair and walking out the door.

As Bobby pulled the sheets off of the baby crib, John was amazed at how well crafted the crib was. He could tell that somebody had obviously put some love into making it with the intricate designs that were carved into the wood. He got kind of wistful knowing how much Mary would have like it with all the little animals carved into the wood.

Knowing that this would be a good time to talk, Bobby spoke up. "John, I was wondering how much your oldest knows about the day his mother died. I'm not trying to pry into your business so don't be offended, but I don't want to accidentally overstep my bounds in conversation when the kid is around."

"As far as I know the only thing he knows right now is that his mother died in a fire, and I want it to stay that way as long as possible. He doesn't need to know that his mother was on the ceiling with her stomach slashed open. I would hate to think he saw that before I placed Sammy into his arms and told him to get him out of the house as fast as he could. I can't even imagine what that would have done to him, he's having enough nightmares as it is."

"I hate to say it John, but the boy is bound to see some things that will scare the shit out of him sooner or later, you won't be able to stop it with pursuing the demons and creatures that live out there in the dark" Bobby stated truthfully knowing that John needed to open his eyes to the simple fact that there was no way he would be able to protect him all the time.

"Well, I can do my damnedest to make sure it doesn't happen until the boys are older" John said meaning every word.

**TBC I know there wasn't much interaction in this chapter between Bobby and the boys since they were just meeting the man. but you can count on them giving Bobby a time in the next chapter.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A Hard Road Ch. 11**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story.

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As Bobby and John returned to the house with the crib, John was surprised to see Sammy and Dean on the floor playing with Sammy's building blocks, he had been sure that Sammy would sleep through the night after the day the had. While Dean continued to keep an eye on Sammy, he helped Bobby to carry the crib up the stairs and place it in the bedroom and then they both returned to where the boys were playing. He watched as Dean stacked the blocks in a tower only for Sammy to knock them down with a sweep of the hand giggling at his accomplishment.

Bobby smiled at the little tyke before him who seemed to be bursting with energy after having been asleep only moments before. He was amazed at how much patience Dean had with him as he continued to stack the blocks time after time. As he watched the two little boys playing, Bobby noticed the smile that lit up Dean's face. It was obvious the baby had a positive effect on his big brother since Dean no longer seemed shy or scared with him around.

It didn't take long however for Sammy to tire of the game they were playing and he started crawling around on the floor with Dean trailing him. Bobby noticed how Dean showed maturity beyond his years as he kept his baby brother from putting his hands on things he shouldn't have as he redirected the baby each time he neared something that could possibly hurt him. Bobby decided that he would have to move some glass and ceramic objects out of reach after they boys went to bed to baby proof his house as much as possible.

As Dean watched over his baby brother, Bobby and John began to talk about what they would be doing over the next few days. Bobby planned on teaching John the finer aspects of researching amongst his vast array of books. John would have to learn which tomes held valuable information when it came to binding spells, exorcisms, and creating healing remedies to fight the supernatural. He also planned on making sure that John learned how to make his own ammunition since some of the ammo required for killing demons couldn't be bought in any store.

"I think tomorrow morning would be a great time to get started on making your own ammo" Bobby informed John as they laughed at Dean's exasperated look at having to move Sammy away from the television for the fifth time. "We'll be going through some of the old car parts out in the junk yard looking for copper coiling to melt down since copper is used in eradicating some of the lower level demons and spirits out there."

Trying to divert Sammy's attention from the television once again, Dean sat Sammy down in the middle of the floor and tried to get him interesting in playing with the blocks as his dad and Bobby talked. He knew his dad didn't like to be interrupted when he was talking with an adult about important stuff. He sat down beside Sammy and started stacking the blocks once again. He was so intent on what he was doing that he didn't notice as Sammy started crawling off. Crawling was still the fastest way for him to get around since he wasn't totally steady on his feet yet. Sammy quickly made his way over to Bobby before Dean could stop him and pulled himself up using Bobby's pant leg.

Bobby was surprised to feel a tug on his pant leg while he was speaking with John and looked down to see the toddler looking at him with the most expressive hazel eyes he had ever seen in his life. He couldn't help but smile and ruffle the baby's curly brown locks. "Hey there sport" he said with a smile. He was surprised to see Sammy raise his hands in an imploring manner as he said "Up."

Bobby wasn't used to holding babies and felt a little bit nervous about the toddler's request. But when he looked into those eyes and saw the pleading puppy dog look, his heart melted and he reached down to pull the toddling child into his arms. Bobby couldn't help but notice the way that Dean watched him intently as if waiting for him to make a wrong move.

It didn't take long for Sammy to snuggle into his hold and plop a thumb in his mouth while he reached one hand up to play with the beard on Bobby's chin. Within a few moments, Sammy gave a hard pull on some of the hair and Bobby let out a startled yelp causing Dean to laugh out loud. Sammy who had been near tears from the sound turned to look at Dean and began giggling himself. He liked making his big brother laugh.

John quickly apologized for what Sammy had done, but couldn't help but start laughing himself at the devious look on Sammy's face as he reached up and pulled the beard again. Sammy had done it to him a few times himself since he was shaving only intermittently allowing a small beard to grow.

"Sammy No" John stated trying to sound firm while he tried to contain his laughter. It was time for Sammy to start learning that there were rules to be followed and no hair puling was one of them.

Sammy's bottom lip immediately started to tremble as tears sprang to his eyes. He didn't like it when his daddy hollered at him.

Seeing the heartbroken look on the baby's face, Bobby immediately jumped to the toddler's defense. "It's okay John, he didn't hurt me" Bobby said as he bounced the child on his knees trying to cheer him up. John just shook his head knowing that he should scold Sammy further for what he had done, but he just didn't have the heart to do it right now with the pitiful look that Sammy was giving him. He'd have to learn to ignore those puppy dog eyes of Sammy's if he was ever going to teach him some manners.

Approximately thirty minutes later, John noticed that both of his boys had nodded off into slumber while he and Bobby had been talking. Bobby carried Sammy to their room since the child had fallen asleep in his arms so that John could carry Dean. Bobby placed the sleeping toddler in the crib he had made by hand before cradling the sleeping child's head with his palm. "G'night little one" he whispered before pulling the small blue baby blanket over the sleeping child.

John placed Dean on the bed and then pulled off his jeans so that his oldest would be more comfortable while he slept. He bent down to kiss him on the forehead and whispered "sweet dreams kiddo." He then glanced over to check on Sammy before quietly walking out of the room and leaving the door open so that he could hear if his children needed him. He walked back down the stairs to see Bobby laying fresh salt lines. He felt a tremendous amount of relief knowing that he had backup in place if the demon tried to make a move on his children while they were staying at Bobby's place. He knew his boys couldn't be any safer than they were right now with all the protective wards and sigils placed throughout Bobby's house.

After Bobby had completed checking the salt lines, he and John returned to the kitchen where Bobby poured them a cup of coffee before sitting down to talk. "John I just want to make sure one more time that you know what you're getting yourself into" When John started to argue, Bobby held up his hand and said "Just hear me out." When John nodded his head that he was willing to listen, Bobby decided to lay everything on the line.

"I totally understand why you have chosen to become a hunter and I can't blame you. I lost my own wife due to supernatural reasons and that's why I became the hunter you see before you now. But unlike you, I didn't have any kids to worry about. John, there will be times when you'll have to leave those boys behind for their own safety even though it will literally tear your heart to pieces. Even worse than that, a demon could use those boys as a weapon against you. Are you sure you're ready to possibly put their lives at risk to hunt down the demon that killed your wife?" Bobby hated having to voice his fears about the children being hurt, but John needed to know all of the risks where hunting was concerned.

John closed his eyes and thought for a few minutes about the words that Bobby had spoken to him. His biggest fear _**was**_ that one day the demon would go after his kids because of him, but he had to take that chance. In his mind, the boys had been in danger since the night Mary had been killed and they wouldn't be safe until the yellow eyed demon was taken care of for good. "Bobby, I understand what your saying and believe me, it scares me to death to even think about them being in danger because of something I've done. But they will never truly be safe as long as that demon is alive. That thing had to have been in Sammy's room for a reason and I can't take the chance that it might return for him someday. I have to do whatever it takes to protect my boys, even if…." John let the sentence trail off not wanting to talk about his boys lives being at risk.

"Well then, I'll do everything I can to help you keep them safe. Together, we'll make sure that you as well as the boys are ready to face whatever comes. But for now, I think we all need to get a good night's rest. Let's go check on those boys of your and then hit the sack."

John walked into the room he would be sharing with the boys and found Dean's bed empty but it didn't upset him in the slightest. Knowing where Dean was most likely at, he looked into Sammy's crib to see Dean quietly sleeping beside him. Dean had pulled the baby close to his chest and had a protective arm thrown over him. John decided to leave Dean right where he was in hopes that the connection would help him to sleep through the night without any nightmares.

"Is he doing alright?" Bobby asked in a quiet voice as he saw John bend down to straighten the baby blanket over both of his boys.

"Yeah, it's just that he's been having trouble with nightmares since his mother died. I've tried to get Dean to talk about them but he won't. Some nights he wakes up screaming and some nights he seeks comfort by crawling into the bed with Sammy just the way he did tonight" John said in answer to Bobby's question.

"Don't worry John, when Dean's ready, he'll talk to you about the things haunting his dreams. Until then, I'd leave things alone since he finds comfort in snuggling with his baby brother" Bobby stated as he placed a comforting hand upon John's shoulder.

"I just hope you're right" John admitted as he glanced at his boys once more before bidding Bobby a good night. After Bobby left to go to his own room, John stripped off his own jeans and climbed into bed. He was looking forward to getting a good night's rest in preparation for a busy day tomorrow. As he lay in bed though, he watched the two sleeping boys in the crib beside him. Sammy and Dean were his whole world and he didn't know what he would have done without them. They were his reason for getting out of bed everyday and moving on with his life. He just prayed he would be able to protect them from the forces of evil out there that were determined to destroy his world.

**TBC **


	12. Chapter 12

**A Hard Road Ch. 12**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story, nor do I own the rights to any Dr. Seuss books.

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After almost a month of hard work, John was becoming quite the expert at gathering used or discarded materials needed to make their bullets. He had gathered silver just by scavenging around wealthy people's homes. He couldn't believe how many wealthy people actually threw out their silver jewelry that was no longer needed just because it was broken or kinked in places. He and Bobby had made quite a collection of silver bullets just from the jewelry alone. As for other types of metals required, Bobby's own salvage yard supplied them an almost unlimited resource of iron and copper for making ammunition rounds.

John really enjoyed working alongside of Bobby when melting down the metals into Bobby's kiln since it gave him a chance to get to know the hunter better. He couldn't imagine what it must have done to Bobby's psyche when he had been forced to kill his own wife in order to keep himself alive. He wondered if he could have done the same thing if it had been him and Mary, he honestly didn't think so. Through one of their many conversations, John had also learned that Bobby himself had made the crib that Sammy was sleeping in since he and his wife had been planning to have children before her untimely demise. It made him value Bobby's friendship all the more while causing him to also realize just how hard it must have been for the hunter to take it out of storage.

He and Bobby had just finished making the last of the hollowed out iron rounds when Dean came walking into the outside garage beside a toddling Sammy who was obviously cranky since he had tear streaks on his little face.. "Hey buddy, what's up?" asked John as Dean led Sammy over towards him and Bobby.

"Daddy, Sammy needs his diaper changed" Dean replied as he pointed to the diaper that was now sagging heavily upon the baby's small frame. "I taked off his pants cause he gotted them wet."

"Yeah I can see why" John said as he looked at his watch and realized just how long he had left Dean to watch over Sammy. He felt guilty for not having gone in to check on the boys sooner. It was his responsibility to make sure that Sammy was changed before he got too wet, he was Sammy's father after all, not Dean. John bent down to scoop up Sammy in his arms and then ruffled Dean's hair. "I'm proud of you kiddo, you do such a great job of taking care of Sammy." He then nuzzled Sammy's curly lock with his nose and said "Come on tiger, lets go get you into a dry diaper."

After John had gotten the boys into the house to change Sammy's diaper, he noticed that there was only two more left in his baby's diaper bag. He had forgotten to pick some up when he was in town yesterday. He sighed knowing that he would have to load the boys up and take them into town again. With Sammy being cranky right now, he didn't envy making the trip. He started changing Sammy into a clean outfit when Bobby walked in the house.

"Hey Bobby, the boys and I have got to go pick up some more diapers before we get started on that research you had mentioned about the Pishacha in the garage. I'm sorry man, I'll get back as soon as I can" John was just grabbing Sammy's jacket to put it on him when he heard Bobby speak.

"Why don't you just leave the boys with me John. I mean there is no sense in having to take them out, especially since it looks like it is going to rain" Bobby offered trying to make things easier on John.

"I don't know man. The boys have never been away from me since…" John trailed off in hesitation. He was nervous about the idea of being away from them for even a few minutes. It made his stomach cramp and his heart ache just even thinking about it.

Bobby noticed John's hesitation right away. He could see the man breaking out in a cold sweat at the mere thought of being away from his children, but Bobby knew he would have to make that move sooner or later, not only for his own benefit, but for the boys also. "John I understand how you feel, but Dean will be going to school soon and it will be much harder on him then if he hasn't spent at least a little time away from you. I swear to you man, I'll keep them within my sight at all times."

"Bobby, it's not that I don't trust you dude because I do. It's just…"

"You'll only be gone less than an hour John, and you've got to start sometime" Bobby said as he reached out to take a softly crying Sammy from his daddy's arms. "Now get going so you can get back" Bobby said as he walked John to the door

John glanced back to see Dean looking warily at him as he stepped outside the door. He took a deep, calming breath to steady his voice and then said "It'll be okay champ. Bobby's right, I don't want you or Sammy getting sick if it rains. Watch out for Sammy and I'll be back just as soon as I can okay kiddo." John turned his back and walked down the steps knowing that if he turned around and looked at Dean again, his resolve would shatter.

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"Well, it's just you and me boys" Bobby stated as he turned around to see Dean staring at him intently. He could feel the warning vibes coming off the boy as Dean kept his eyes locked on him. He knew he had to play things just right where Sammy was concerned if he was ever going to get Dean to trust him. He knew without a doubt that the first thing he needed to do was to get Sammy to stop crying and involve Dean in the process somehow.

"Hey Dean, I was thinking that maybe the two of us could cheer Sammy up by playing with him. Can you think of anything that he really likes?" Bobby asked hoping that Dean would have a few ideas of what to do.

Dean eyed Bobby warily for another minute or so before he decided to answer. "Sammy always likes it when Daddy reads us a story" he said wondering if Bobby would actually listen to him. He didn't think Bobby could read as good as his daddy, but it would be worth a try to make Sammy happy.

"Hmmm, I don't have any children's books" Bobby said thoughtfully while scratching his beard.

"That's okay, I have some" Dean offered as he ran upstairs to grab a book out of the collection that had gotten fro Christmas at Pastor Jim's house. He knew how much Sammy liked the pictures in the Dr. Seuss books so he grabbed the book _Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? _Returning downstairs with the book, Dean climbed up into the chair that Bobby was now sitting in and sat down beside him. "Sammy really likes this one but you have to make the sounds for him" Dean said as he grinned up at Bobby.

Bobby wondered what he had gotten himself into when Dean handed him the book. He just hoped he would be able to do the sounds right and wouldn't disappoint the boys. Opening the book, he read the first page. "Oh the wonderful things that Mr. Brown can do" he read with a smile upon his face, maybe this wasn't going to be too bad. As he delved further into the book, he found himself making sounds such as: mooing like a cow, squeaking like a shoe, and making the dibble, dibble, dop, dop sound of falling rain. The part he enjoyed the most though was when he got to the fish. As he read the part about kissing like a fish, he molded his lips into a kissing fish shape and applied a kiss to both boys cheeks causing them to giggle uproariously. He no sooner finished the book, when Dean asked him to read it again. He liked the way Bobby made the funny faces to go with the noises that the characters made. As Bobby reread the first page, he was delighted to see Sammy clapping his hands in excitement, apparently he wanted to hear it again too.

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John was anxious to get back to the salvage yard to see his boys. The trip had taken longer than expected due to a flat tire that had cost him valuable time. He felt a knot in the pit of his stomach from wondering if the boys were truly okay. He knew Bobby would take wonderful care of them, but he had left Sammy crying and Dean was upset with him too. Would the boys forgive him for not taking them along. He pushed the gas pedal just a little bit harder determined to get back as soon as he could.

John breathed a huge sigh of relief as he returned back to the house. He was so eager to get back inside that he grabbed the bag of diapers and literally ran back to the porch. He quickly walked up the stairs and opened the door only to be surprised at the sight that met his shocked eyes. The sight was a scene of complete serenity as he saw Bobby and the boys sitting together in his recliner, all three peacefully sleeping. Bobby had Sammy resting on his chest with an arm keeping him secure while Dean was snuggled up beside him with Bobby's other arm firmly wrapped around his shoulders keeping him close. John tried to close the door quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping crew but noticed that Bobby had awakened anyway when he turned back around. "Sorry Bobby, didn't mean to disturb you."

"S'okay" Bobby said as he smirked at the look of awe on John's face. He rather liked surprising his young protégé. "You didn't think I had it in me to take care of your little munchkins did ya?"

"I, uh, well, ya know…" John stumbled over his words as he felt the heat rush to his cheeks in embarrassment. How was he to know that such a gruff looking hunter like Bobby would have a way with kids, especially when he didn't have any of us own.

Bobby was about to pick at John a little more when he felt Sammy squirming on his chest. He quickly put his hand on the youngster's back and starting rubbing it in small circles. He held his breath as Sammy shifted a little and raised his head to look around. Within seconds, Sammy once again relaxed into Bobby's chest as he sighed and plopped a thumb into his mouth.

"Ill take him" John offered as he started to reach down and pick his baby boy up only to be stopped as Bobby held up his hand, palm out to stop him in progress.

"Let 'em sleep. They've only been napping about thirty minutes" Bobby said hoping John would listen. He knew from previous experience just how cranky Sammy could be if he didn't get enough rest.

John agreed to leave the boys sleep and went to place the diapers in their room before getting dinner started. As he cooked, he thought about his plans for the upcoming week. Sammy's birthday was quickly approaching and he wanted to take the boys to the park for a day of fun and play. He would pick up a small cake on the way and buy them some ice cream at the park in celebration of Sammy's first birthday. He planned on asking Bobby to join them.

**TBC**


	13. Chapter 13

**A Hard Road Ch. 13**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

**Author's Note:** Sorry this chapter took so long. It fought me tooth and nail to get it written.

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As the day rolled around to celebrate Sammy's first birthday, John awoke early eager to pack up the things they would need for their picnic in the park. He needed to make sure he had enough diapers packed for Sammy as well as something for his baby to sleep on when he got tired. He would need an extra set of clothing for his youngest and a teething ring or two since Sammy's eye teeth had finally started trying to come through for the past week. He also needed to pack the food that they would be having for the small celebration. He was planning on taking some hotdogs to put on the grill along with some chips and potato salad. He would pick up the cake he ordered along the way. He wanted the day to be special for his youngest and tried not to dwell on how much he was missing Mary on this special occasion. She would have planned a big party for Sammy complete with streamers, balloons, and the works like she had done with Dean. Oh how he wish Mary could have been there to spend the day with them.

Knowing that he had to get started, John climbed out of the bed and pulled on a clean pair of blue jeans and his olive green USMC tee shirt. He had just pulled on his boots when he heard the sounds of gurgling coming from the crib. He walked over to see Sammy sitting up in the crib and biting down on one of the teethers that had been placed in his crib the night before. He had drool covered fingers as he held on to the toy that helped to sooth his teething pain. "Hey there tiger" John said as he reached into the crib to pick his youngest up. "How's my birthday boy doing?"

Sammy smiled and snuggled into his father's embrace as he tried to wrap tiny hands around his daddy's neck. John didn't mind the feeling of slobbery wet fingers encompassing his neck, he enjoyed spending cuddling time with his toddler. It wouldn't be too long before Sammy grew up and he would miss these cherished moments of love so freely given by his baby.

"Let's get you changed kiddo" John said as he lay Sammy down and made quick work of changing his diaper and getting him dressed into shorts and a tee shirt. It was supposed to be a warm day and he didn't want his youngest to get overheated while playing at the park. After he had gotten Sammy ready, he woke Dean up to get dressed and took Sammy downstairs to prepare his breakfast. Once everybody had finished breakfast, they quickly loaded up into the Imapala and headed towards town so that they could pick up Sammy's cake.

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A few hours later, John was seated at a picnic table watching his boys play in the sandbox while Bobby was grilling some hot dogs. He couldn't help but be proud of Dean for the way he was being so attentive of Sammy. There was so many things that Dean could be playing on right now like the monkey bars (jungle gym) and the slides, but he chose to play with his baby brother instead. He watched as Sammy filled a bucket with sand and then Dean dumped it over to add to their castle, which was beginning to look quite impressive for as young as his boys were. As he continued to watch, John could have sworn he heard the whispering sound of Mary's sweet voice urging him to go play with the kids, the words sounding so real that he glanced around to see if somebody else was talking. Finding nobody, he gave a small body shiver and shrugged it off to his mind daydreaming until he felt a tug on his hand and that same voice saying "Get up and go play with them John, they won't always be this little and give my baby a birthday kiss for me." John's eyes teared up as he realized that Mary hadn't missed Sammy's first birthday, that she was there in spirit.

Never one to let his wife down, John stood up and wiped his eyes before going over to join his sons. "Mind if I play?" he asked as he pulled off his shoes and climbed into the sandbox with his boys.

"Da, Da" Sammy said as he toddled his way over to sit in his father's lap. He handed John the little shovel he was using and then used his tiny hands to scoop sand into the bucket. John bent down to kiss Sammy on the top of the head for himself and for Mary. "Thanks tiger" he said as he took the shovel and helped Sammy to fill his bucket.

A few moments later after they had finished the castle, the sound of Bobby's voice came booming across the play area. "Come and get it" John helped his boys to brush the sand off of their hands and clothing and they walked to the small bathroom to wash up for lunch. By the time they arrived at the picnic table, Bobby had everything set out and ready for their little party. John popped the top off of the Elmo cake and placed a number one candle on top. He quickly lit it looked at his boys. "Dean help your brother make a wish and blow out the candle" John said as he saw the excitement in Sammy's eyes at seeing his favorite Sesame Street character on the cake. John watched as his boys blew out the candle. He didn't know what his boys had wished for, but he got his knowing that Mary was there to watch over them in spirit.

Since Sammy was the birthday boy, John fixed his plate first and put a large piece of cake on it along with a hot dog cut up into tiny little pieces so Sammy wouldn't choke. He knew Sammy would make a mess with the cake, but that was okay since it was his special day. As he turned around to fix Dean's plate, he heard his oldest starting to giggle and turned back around to see Sammy smashing both of his hands into the bright red frosting of the cake. He then proceeded to pick up a handful and put it into his mouth. Needless to say, Sammy had icing all over his face. John just shook his head and laughed at the sight, His baby sure was a red covered mess.

After lunch was finished and Sammy had been cleaned up, it was time for presents. Dean asked if he could give Sammy his present first. John was taken by surprise since he hadn't known that Dean had gotten one for Sammy. He figured Bobby must have bought it for him but found out just how wrong he was as Dean helped Sammy to tear the paper off. He immediately recognized the stuffed teddy bear that Dean had treasured since he got it on his second birthday. John felt a huge lump in his throat as he heard Dean tell Sammy about the present.

"This is a special bear Sammy. His name is Sweet Dreams and he will make all of your nights special. I know because Mommy told me when she gave him to me. All you have to do is hug the teddy bear and he makes everything all right again. I'm too big for him now so he can't help my dreams but he can make yours happy." Dean watched as Sammy pulled the bear close and hugged him tight. "De bear" Sammy said as he hugged him once more and then tried to give it back.

"No Sammy, you're supposed to keep him" Dean laughed as he hugged his baby brother.

John felt like his present was insignificant after the heartfelt gift that Dean had given to Sammy. He handed over the wrapped gift and Sammy immediately tore into the paper with some help from Dean. John had to laugh though as Dean said "This is awesome Dad. Me and Sammy came play with the animals in the sand. John had bought Sammy a Little People Animal Farm set knowing how much Sammy would love the animals and the sounds that they made. The last gift came from Bobby which was a See-N-Say spinning toy that would help Sammy to learn his letters and some rainbow blocks to build with.

After Sammy had taken an hour long nap, the boys ended the special day by playing on the swings. John had picked Sammy up and placed him in the special swing for toddlers, one that Sammy could safely sit in while Dean pushed him back and forth. John and Bobby sat on the bench watching the boys as Sammy giggled in delight as Dean pushed him back and forth. As the day turned to dusk, John decided that it was time to leave and loaded his sleepy children into the car for the long drive home.

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Arriving back at the house, Bobby helped John to carry his sleeping boys into the house and up to their room. Bobby placed Sammy in the crib while John placed Dean on the bed. He hoped that Dean was tired enough to sleep through the night without being awakened by a nightmare. After kissing the boys goodnight, John left the room to go back down to the kitchen where Bobby was now making a pot of coffee.

As John sat down at the table, Bobby poured them both a cup of the steaming hot brew and sat down himself. "Sure was a wonderful day" Bobby said as he sipped his coffee. He couldn't remember the last time he had taken a day off just to have fun.

"One of the best" replied John with a smile. Not only had he spent the day with his boys and a good friend, but he had spent it with Mary too in a way as he sensed her comforting presence at times throughout the day. The men were just about to head off to bed when Bobby's telephone began to ring.

"Singer here" he replied into the phone as he listened to the voice on the other end. John could tell from the things that Bobby was saying that a hunter was on the other end of the line. He wondered what kind of hunt the men were talking about as he listened in to Bobby's side of the conversation. It was obvious the other hunter needed help when Bobby replied that he would see what he could do and hung up the phone.

Turning around to face John, Bobby said "That was Joshua. He needs some help with that demon that we were researching for him the other day."

"You mean the Pishacha demon?" John asked remembering just how nasty the demon was.

"That's the one" Bobby replied. "Turns out the demon has been haunting the grounds of a crematorium in Rodchester. The demon has driven another crematorium worker insane and Joshua is going to need some help trapping the damn thing and sending it back to hell.

"So when do you leave?" John asked taking another sip of his coffee.

"That's just it, I can't leave. I promised a customer that I would have his 66 Corvette ready for a car show no later than Saturday. I guess I'll have to call Caleb and see if he can handle the job" Bobby replied in answer to John's question.

"Wait a minute Bobby, Do you think maybe I am up to handling this hunt with Joshua. I can help him with the devil's trap and you were just saying the other day that I needed to get out and meet more hunters.

"I don't know John. This isn't a simple salt and burn that you will be participating in. This is going up against an actual demon and a nasty one at that."

"Come on Bobby, this is what I've been training for" John said as he tried to convince Bobby that he was ready for the hunt.

**TBC **_Will Bobby agree with John and allow him to participate in the hunt?_


	14. Chapter 14

**A Hard Road Ch. 14**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

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Bobby was beginning to doubt his agreement to let John go on the hunt as he watched the novice hunter pack up the weapons he would need into his duffle bag. He knew John had come along way in the past few months that they had spent together, but this would be his first time going up against an actual demon. He would just have to depend on Joshua to keep a close eye on the man who had quickly become a good friend to him. "John, I know you are excited about this hunt, but you need to follow what ever Joshua says to the letter. Don't take any stupid chances with your life so you can come back to this boys who need their daddy."

"Wait a minute Bobby, what do you mean 'come back to the boys' I was planning on taking them with me" John said as he looked at Bobby with a bewilder look in his eyes.

"Winchester, you're a damned idjit if you think I am going to allow you to take those boys on such a dangerous hunt when your new to the gig yourself. They'll be fine staying here with me until you get back. It ain't like I haven't watched them before already."

"Damn it Bobby, I know that. It's just that I've never spent the night away from them and this hunt is almost a day's drive away, You can't expect me to leave my boys behind for so long." John stated with a hint of annoyance to his voice.

"I can and I do. You either leave them here with me or I find somebody else to take the hunt with Joshua. The choice is yours Winchester, so what's it going to be?" Bobby said emphatically.

John sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. Bobby had him between a rock and a hard place and he knew it. He knew Bobby was right about this hunt being too dangerous for the boys, he just didn't know if he could handle being away from them for so long, for that matter, would the boys be able to handle being away from him so long.

"I'm waiting Johnny boy, do I need to call somebody else to cover this one with Joshua?" Bobby asked to get John focused on the problem at hand once again.

"N-No, I'll d-do it, I just…It'll be hard ya know…just let me talk to the boys okay" John stuttered out as he forced a tight smile to his face. He would never learn everything he needed to know if he didn't get out there to participate in the hunts. It was a damned demon who took Mary's life and he needed to learn all he could about fighting them and not just restless spirits.

"Joshua will be here around noon so tomorrow so you better get yourself upstairs to bed and talk to those boys first thing in the morning when they wake up so it won't be too hard on them when you leave."

"Okay, night Bobby" John said before he trudged up the stairs. He didn't look forward to Joshua's arrival tomorrow knowing what it would do to him and his boys. This separation was going to play hell with his nerves and he knew it, but it was for his boys that he had to do it, to keep them safe.

As he walked in the door, he could hear Dean softly snoring in the bed and he was thankful that he was sleeping so peacefully. Maybe the nightmares would stay away tonight. He then walked over to the crib and glanced down at Sammy. His baby looked like a little angel sleeping with his thumb tucked securely into his mouth. He felt a pang of guilt knowing that he would be leaving the boys behind when he left tomorrow. Needing to feel close to both of his sons tonight, John picked up the sleeping toddler and carried him over to the bed and lay him beside Dean before stripping off his jeans and climbing into bed himself. He wrapped an arm around both of his boys and pulled them close. "Please forgive me boys" he whispered needing absolution for what he was about to do in the morning.

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The morning dawned bright and early as the sun peaked through the bedroom window. John could feel movement on the bed and knew that his boys were playing before he even opened his eyes. He heard the sound of Dean blowing a "raspberry" onto his baby's brother's tummy and then the sound of Sammy giggling in delight. He opened his eyes and said "Hey, two can play at that game as he playfully wrestled Dean to the bed and blew a longer raspberry onto his oldest son's tummy.

"Daddy st-stop" Dean said through giggles as he tried to squirm away from his father but he was held to tight within John's grip.

"What do you say Sammy, she would bring out the tickle monster?" John asked his baby as Sammy clapped his hand in approval. He watched Dean's eyes grow huge at the prospect of being tickled unmercifully. "No daddy, not the tickle monster" Dean gasped out between laughs as his dad tickled his sides until Dean could hardly breathe for laughing so much. All to soon the morning passed and John knew he would have to get his boys dressed and talk to them about him leaving.

John pulled out a pair of blue jeans and a tee shirt for Dean and tossed them to him while he pulled out another set for Sammy. He pulled off the clothing that Sammy had slept in the night before and changed his soggy diaper before dressing him in jeans and a red Transformer tee shirt that Dean had insisted they buy for his baby brother the last time they had went shopping. As Dean finished dressing himself, John said "Boys, I need to talk to you."

"Why is you sad Daddy?' Dean asked as he saw the sad expression on John's face. He didn't like it when his daddy was sad cause it made him feel sad too.

"Well kiddo, it's because Daddy needs to go away for a little while and help Joshua on a hunt and he can't take you boys with him?" John said to his oldest child.

"But why Daddy, why can't me and Sammy go wif you?" Dean asked with tears springing to his eyes, he didn't want his daddy to go way without him.

"I'm sorry sport, but you or Sammy could get hurt and I can't take that chance. I need you to be a big boy for Daddy okay. I need you to watch out for Sammy and help Bobby take care of him. Can you do that for me Ace?" John asked as he wiped away the tears trailing down Dean's face. He watched as Dean nodded his head before launching himself into his arms. John wrapped his oldest into a tight hug and said "I love you and your brother squirt and I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise"

"We love you too Daddy" Dean cried as he clung to his father for just a minute before letting go. He had to be strong now cause he told his Daddy that he would take care of Sammy and that meant he had to be a big boy and not a cry baby.

John ruffled Dean's hair before picking Sammy up. 'Come on sport, let's go see what Bobby is making for breakfast" John said as he smelled the aroma of food cooking wafting up the stairs.

As they got to the bottom of the stairs, John was surprised to see another man near the sink sipping a cup of coffee. He assumed it was Joshua since Bobby expected him to arrive around noon today. The man looked to be about six foot three or so with dark wavy hair. His face had a rugged appearance, but he could see tenderness in his eyes as the man noticed his boys. "Morning, the name's John Winchester and these are my boys, Dean and Sammy."

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Joshua was standing by the sink sipping on a cup of coffee after having talked to Bobby about this new hunter on the block. He didn't envy having to work with the newbie hunter, but Bobby insisted he take the man along with him. When he questioned Bobby's reasoning, Bobby had explained what happened to the family and that John was determined to become a hunter and he needed to learn from the best. Joshua was about to voice another concern when he heard noise coming from above. He glanced towards the stairs to see a man walking down them holding a baby in his arm with a young blonde headed boy beside him.

He noticed the surprised look on the man's face the moment that the new hunted had spotted him in the room. He could see the wary look in the man's eyes as he introduced himself and his boys. "Morning, the name's John Winchester and these are my boys, Dean and Sammy."

Joshua reached out to shake the man's hand, The name's Joshua, but you can call me Josh" he said as he noticed the older child move behind his daddy's leg. "So Bobby tells me you want to hunt this…uh, thing with me" Joshua stated not wanting to mention a demon in front of the boys.

"Bobby's right, I'm willing to do whatever you tell me as long as I can participate. I've got to learn how to face these things just in case they come for…" John trailed off as he nodded his head towards his boys. Dean was old enough to pick up on the things he was saying and he didn't want to scare him.

"Let's eat some breakfast then we'll leave out in a few hours after I stock up on some more ammo for the hunt" Joshua informed John as he sat down at the table. Bobby had prepared more than enough food for everybody.

John put Sammy down so he could fix a plate for both of his boys and get a sippy cup of juice from the refrigerator for Sammy to go along with his scrambled eggs. He had just started pouring some apple juice into the cup when he heard Sammy say "up." He turned around to see that Sammy was standing by Joshua's legs and holding his arms up in the air ready to picked up. He was about to walk over and pick Sammy up to place in his high chair when Joshua reached down and pulled Sammy up onto his lap.

Joshua had just fixed himself a plate of food for himself when he felt a small tug on his pants. He looked down to see the toddler looking up at him with the most expressive eyes he had ever seen in his life. His heart was immediately captured by the puppy dog look in those hazel eyes as the little one voiced just one word, "up." Joshua felt his hunter's heart melting at the pleading look in the baby's eyes. He reached down to pick the child up and placed him on his lap. "There you go munchkin" he said as he wrapped an arm around him so that he wouldn't fall off.

"Him not munchkin, him Sammy" said Dean as he looked at Joshua with a serious expression wondering how the man could have forgotten Sammy's name so fast.

Joshua gave a hearty laugh at Dean's remark. The kid sure had some spunk even though just minutes before he had hid behind his daddy's leg. He was about to explain what he meant when he heard John give the explanation instead.

"Dean-o, that's just a nickname that Joshua used for Sammy, sort of like when I call him tiger or call you sport." John said as he placed a plate of pancakes and sausage in front of Dean along with a glass of orange juice. John was getting ready to take Sammy from Joshua's lap when he noticed Sammy reach into Joshua's plate and scoop up some scrambled egg with his hand. "Sammy no, that's not nice" John chided feeling embarrassed at Sammy having done such a thing.

"Hey, it's alright, I don't mind" Joshua said as he laughed at John's discomfort. "He can eat right here with me if you don't mind."

John was surprised by the hunter's remark. He had thought for sure that Joshua would be upset with Sammy's antics. "Well if you're sure you don't mind getting food all over you" John stated knowing just how messy Sammy could be.

"It'll come out in the wash" Joshua replied nonchalantly as he took a bite of the sausage on his plate. He wasn't used to having little kids around but he could sure learn to like this feeling that overcame him as he held the child on his lap. It was a feeling unlike anything had ever felt before, and he knew one thing for sure, he would do anything to protect the child in his lap and his brother too. He would be extra aware on the hunt so that this little family wouldn't be shattered anymore than it already was.

They had finished breakfast all too soon in Joshua's opinion as he stood up and placed Sammy on the floor to brush the scrambled eggs from his lap. "Bobby, how about helping me get the copper topped bullets we'll need for this hunt while John here spends a little time with his boys before we have to leave" Joshua said to give the small family some time alone.

As Bobby and Joshua got the ammunition, John sat down with his boys to read them a story called _Guess How Much I Love You._ He then hugged both of his boys and kissed them. He explained that he loved them as much as the animals in the book loved their own children. He then took them outside to meet up with Joshua and Bobby. John had tears in his eyes as he placed Sammy into Bobby's arms. "Daddy will be back soon boys. Dean remember to help Bobby take care of Sammy for me okay champ" John said just before climbing into Joshua's truck.

"I will Daddy" Dean said as he wiped the tears away that were flowing down his face. He needed to be a big boy now. He stood by Bobby and waved goodbye to his daddy as the big truck roared out of the driveway.

**TBC **


	15. Chapter 15

**A Hard Road Ch. 15**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

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Joshua couldn't believe just how fast things had gone wrong on the hunt. They had arrived at the crematorium late in the evening and entered through the back door which took him only a few moments to open using his lock pick set. As he and John had walked inside, he pulled out his EMF meter and quickly scanned the place for any spirit activity. Finding none, Joshua had quickly located the cremated remains of the man that they had suspected of causing the workers to go insane. He had John watch his back as he quickly doused the bone fragments with salt and lighter fluid. He was about to set them alight when they were interrupted by a security guard. It didn't take them long to find out the guard had been possessed by the Pishacha demon as he flung his hands out and John went flying through the air and collided with the unforgiving surface of the cremator furnace. He watched in horror as the rookie hunter dropped to the cement floor like a sack of potatoes.

Knowing that he only had once chance, he dropped the matches onto the bone fragments as he quickly pulled his loaded .45 from his pocket and shot the demon in the upper leg with a copper tipped round laced with holy water. He didn't take the time to watch the flesh sizzle as he immediately started to recite an exorcism to expel the demon from the security guard's body. _"__Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, et secta diabolica, Ergo draco maledicte et section Ergo draco maledicte et legio secta diabolica Ut Ecclésiam tuam secúra tibi fácias servire libertáte, te rogámus, audi nos…"_

Joshua breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the black smoke pour from the security guards mouth and rise towards the ceiling until it evaporated into a flash of fire. He quickly walked around the body of the fallen security guard who now lay in a heap on the cold floor since the man was obviously dead. There was no telling how long he had been possessed and his body just couldn't handle the outcome of the exorcism. Arriving by John's side, he quickly knelt down and placed two fingers along the fallen hunters neck to check his carotid pulse. Finding a weak but steady beat, he quickly lifted the injured man into a fireman's carry and made his way out to the truck. As he loaded John into the passenger side and placed a seatbelt around him for support, Joshua used his fingers to pry open John's eyes. He quickly shined a small penlight into his eyes and noticed how sluggish they were to react, definite concussion.

Not wanting to take any chances since the man had two little boys waiting on him back at Bobby's place, Joshua decided to take the tenderfoot hunter to the hospital for a proper diagnosis and medical help. Putting the truck in gear, he pulled out onto the road and headed off towards the hospital. Knowing that he had to alert Bobby to what was happening, Joshua decided to call the man as soon as he had some information to relay about John.

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Bobby had just sent Dean upstairs to get ready for bed and was starting to change Sammy's diaper when he heard the phone ringing. "Well isn't this just perfect timing" he said as he debated with what he should do--finishing changing Sammy's diaper or pick the toddler up and hold him with his bottom stark naked. Knowing that it could be Joshua with news about the hunt, Bobby picked up the squirming toddler praying that he didn't get a warm golden shower upon his hip.

"Singer here and make it quick" he said as he answered the phone while trying to hold the still squirming toddler in his grasp as Sammy pushed at him to be put down.

"Hey Bobby, it's Josh"

"Hey Josh, how did the hunt go?" Bobby asked as he lowered Sammy to the floor."

"Not to good, we've uh, got a problem"

"Damn, what happened?" Bobby asked as he watched Sammy walk over to the corner and squat down and grunt, his little face turning red with the effort. "Wait a minute, hold that thought" Bobby said as he raced over to the corner with a clean diaper, but he was just a little too late as Sammy made a quick deposit on the floor.

"Shit" Bobby grumbled as he used the diaper to scoop up the mess knowing that he would have to mop the floor now. He picked up Sammy and carried him over to the couch where he grabbed a fresh diaper and wipes from the diaper bag. He cleaned Sammy's little bottom and then put a fresh diaper on him before picking him up once again.

"Sorry about that Josh" he said as he made his way back to the phone. "Sammy needed a diaper change."

"S'okay Bobby, don't worry about it" Joshua said with a smile as he remembered the way Sammy had toddled up to him at Bobby's place.

"So you were saying something about a problem during the hunt" Bobby said to encourage Joshua to give him the news about what happened.

"We kinda ran into an unexpected complication. John was thrown through the air by a demon and he smacked hard into one of those cremator furnaces. He was unconscious for a while, but he finally woke up about thirty minutes ago. The doc wants to keep him for forty eight hours observation since he's sustained one hell of a nasty concussion."

"Damn" Bobby swore under his breath as he listened to the words Joshua was saying. He was worried how it would affect the boys since John would be gone longer than expected. He didn't mind watching them for that length of time at all, he was just concerned about how Dean would accept the news. "Well you just do your best to keep him there and tell him I'll watch after the boys until he get's back and not to worry, I've got everything under control"

Josh just harrumphed at what Bobby said. "I'll do my best, but John is one stubborn bastard, he's already chomping at the bit to leave and get back to those boys of his."

"Do what you can to keep him there for at least the next twenty four hours anyway. That ought to give the docs enough time to make sure there isn't anything more seriously wrong with him." Bobby encouraged. He heard Joshua reply that he would do his best and then hung up the phone.

"Okay Sammy boy, what do you say we get you ready for bed to" Bobby said as he rustled the toddlers curly brown locks.

"Damn" Sammy replied with a smile on his face. "Damn, damn, damn."

"_Crap" _Bobby thought as he grimaced knowing how much John was going to be upset with him over Sammy's new found word. He would have to be more careful now about what he said in front of the little tyke to keep him from picking up any more words that he shouldn't be saying.

By the time Bobby carried Sammy upstairs, Dean was already dressed in his pajamas and had Sammy's laid out on the bed for him. He was sitting on his bed coloring when Bobby walked into the room. "I'm coloring a picture for Daddy when he gets home tomorrow" he said with pride as he showed it to Bobby with a smile on his face.

Bobby plastered a fake smile on his face as he dressed Sammy in hi pajamas and commended Dean for his coloring. He didn't have the heart to break the news to Dean that his daddy wouldn't be home tomorrow. He would let the kid get a good night's sleep before hitting him with the news in the morning. "That's some fantastic coloring Dean, you're daddy is going to love the picture. Don't you think so too Sammy?' Bobby asked as he placed the rambunctious little boy on the bed beside Dean.

"Damn, damn, damn" replied Sammy as he plopped himself in front of Dean.

Dean's eye grew huge as he heard the words that his baby brother had said. "No Sammy, dat's bad, you don't say dat word" he said as he scolded his baby brother by shaking his finger at him. "Daddy's gonna be mad at you."

Sammy's bottom lip began to tremble as his big brother got onto him. Dean never hollered at him and it scared him. His little eyes filled with tears as he began to sniffle. Feeling immediate remorse at seeing Sammy's face, Dean pulled his baby brother into his arms and hugged him tightly. "I sorry Sammy, I didn't mean to yell at you" he said as he rocked him back and forth. After a few minutes, he felt Sammy totally relax against him as his baby brother slipped off to sleep. He allowed Bobby to place Sammy in the crib and then climbed in beside him so that Sammy wouldn't be alone tonight. Bobby then covered up the boys and wished them a good night as he turned on the small nightlight and then climbed into the bed left vacant by Dean. He wasn't allowing the boys out of his sight tonight.

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After hanging up the phone, Joshua walked back to John's room to find him arguing with the doctor and getting angrier by the minute. "You don't understand, I can't stay here. I've got to get back to my boys" John said as he pushed his legs off of the bed and tried to stand up. "They need me and I know my rights, so just get me some damned AMA papers to sign."

"Mr. Winchester, you need to understand that your head has suffered a severe trauma. You could walk out of here and have a hemorrhage causing you to collapse on the spot. Just give us at least another twenty four hours and then against my better judgment, I will release you from medical care" The doctor said exasperated with the stubborn fool who seemed so intent on killing himself.

Ignoring the doctor's words, John pushed himself up from the bed and was immediately assaulted with a case of veritgo as his head began to swim causing him to become extremely dizzy. He took a few stumbling steps before his knees buckled and he began to sink towards the floor. His descent was stopped however as Joshua rushed towards him and caught him underneath the arms.

"I'll handle this doc" Joshua said as he helped the concussed hunter back into bed. "Now stay your ass there or I'll tie you down myself" Joshua said as he helped John to lie down on the bed. "I know you need to see your boys, but all you'll do is scare the hell out of them with the condition you're in now. So shut the hell up and do as the doctor says."

"I just, I want, can't…" John's voice trailed off as the pain medication kicked in and he faded off to sleep.

**TBC**


	16. Chapter 16

**A Hard Road Ch. 16**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

**Important Author's Note: **For those of you who read **1PAGAN3**'s stories, her son Michael was in a car accident and is in critical condition in the ICU unit of her local hospital. It will be a while before she is able to post again. Please pray for his quick recovery. THANKS!!!

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Bobby was awoken the next morning to the excitement of Dean chattering to Sammy about how their daddy would be coming home today. He listened in as the older child talked with his baby brother about asking Daddy if they could go to the movies as a special treat since he had been gone so long. He had seen a commercial for Transformers on the television and it looked like it would be a cool movie even though it was a cartoon since those cars could turn into fighting robots. "I think Daddy will like the movie too Sammy. Daddy likes cars you know and him's even gonna help me learn to fix 'em one day."

Bobby gave a deep sigh knowing that he was going to have to shatter Dean's plans since John was in the hospital and wouldn't be coming home for at least another day or two. It totally scared him to think that Dean could regress into not talking anymore with the news. He would have to break the news as gently as possible and Dean just gave him the best way to take the kid's mind off of his daddy being away. He decided to allow the boys a few more minutes to play and talk and then he would pretend to wake up as though he hadn't heard a word Dean had said.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, he knew it was time to get up when he heard Dean say "Eww Sammy you stinkyed in your diaper. I's gonna go wake up Bobby." Bobby lay there on the bed with his eyes closed as he heard the pitter patter sound of Dean's feet approaching. He felt Dean's hands pat him on the cheek and he opened one eye to look up at the kid. "Just a few more minutes okay kiddo" he yawned as he closed his eyes once more.

"No Bobby, you gots to get up now. Sammy needs his diaper changed" Dean coaxed as he started pulling on Bobby's arm.

"Okay, okay, I'm up" he said as he lifted his legs off of the bed and walked over to the crib. He scooped Sammy up with one arm and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Jeez tiger, did you have to make such a mess in your diaper so early in the morning?" He heard Dean laughing at his comment as he placed Sammy on the bed after grabbing a diaper and some wipes. He quickly changed the diaper and then placed the messy one in the bathroom trash can. He would have to empty it as soon as possible.

"Okay boys, let's go get some breakfast" he said as he carried Sammy down the steps with Dean following behind him. "So what's it gonna be boys? You want some scrambled eggs or Lucky Charms?" he asked giving the boys their choice of breakfast this morning.

"Charms" Dean said as he walked over to the sink to grab a plastic bowl from the drainer for him and Sammy. He watched as Bobby pulled the cereal box from the pantry and poured some into their bowls. "I want milk in mine but Sammy will make a big mess if you put it in his" Dean informed Bobby remembering the last time Sammy spilled the cereal all over himself.

"Okay, then I'll put Sammy's milk into a sippy cup" Bobby said as he poured the milk into Dean's cereal. "He's a growing boy so he'll need some milk too." Bobby poured some cereal for himself and then sat down at the table to eat with the boys. He watched with a smirk as Sammy got more food on the floor than into his mouth as he sat in his highchair. After only a few bites, Sammy had managed to tip his bowl over. Luckily most of the cereal stayed in the tray with only a small amount falling to the floor. At least Sammy could still eat it.

Knowing that he had to break the news to Dean about his dad, Bobby cleared his throat and said "Uh boys, there's something I need to tell you. Joshua called last night and he said the hunt is taking longer than he though it would." His heart dropped as he saw the tears filling Dean's eyes and the defeated look on his face.

"Daddy's not co-coming home to-today is he, he?" Dean asked in a shaken voice.

"No champ, he's not, but he'll get home just as soon as he can" Bobby said hoping to lift Dean's spirits. He saw Dean turn away from the table and climb off his chair as he walked into the living room with his shoulders drooping and emitting heart wrenching sobs. As soon as he saw his brother crying, Sammy began wailing too. "De, De" he cried as he reached for the brother who had his back to him and was walking away. Bobby walked over to the highchair and took Sammy out as he carried him into the room that Dean now occupied. He sat down on the couch beside Dean who was lying down with his back towards Bobby.

Bobby rubbed a soothing hand in circles on Dean's back as he said, "I know you're hurting right now Dean, but I could sure use your help. You see, there's this new movie I want to see tonight, but we can't go unless I get the Corvette ready by this afternoon. You think you can help me with that kiddo?"

Dan sat up and faced Bobby as he wiped the tears from his eyes with his hands. "You mean I-I can -hhelp you fix the car?" he asked as he tried to stifle his sobs?"

"You sure can champ, and then if we finish in time, I was hoping we could go watch this new movie called Transforming Cars."

Dean laughed at Bobby's mistake. "It's not called Transforming Cars, it's called Transformers" he said as he used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe his dripping nose.

"So have we got a deal then?" Bobby asked. "You help me finish working on the car and we'll all go to the movies tonight."

"What about Sammy, what will he do while I'm helping you?"

"I've got a playpen out in the garage and we'll put that under a shade tree and put some toys in it for Sammy to play with while you and I get some work done." Bobby informed Dean.

'Okay, I'm ready" Dean said as the tears finally stopped falling and he pulled on his shoes. He figured they better get started so they had plenty of time to go to the movies.

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John woke up around noon the next day to a raging headache. He felt like somebody had placed his head between some vice grips and was trying to squeeze the brains out of him. He wrinkled his nose as the smell of antiseptic cleansers assaulted his senses. He remembered waking up in the hospital to find himself being treated for a bad concussion. He had wanted to leave after being treated, but Joshua refuse to let him. He slowly opened his eyes to look around and clenched them immediately as pain shot through his head from the brightness of the lights. "Unnnnh" he groaned as he threw an arm up to shield his eyes from the glaring light.

Joshua immediately shot up from the chair he had been relaxing in at the sound of John's voice and turned off the overhead light. "Hey dude, how ya feeling?" he asked as he stood at the side of John's bed.

"M'fine, now can we get the hell out of here" John mumbled as he tried to push himself up into a sitting position only to fall back as his face paled from dizziness and he became nauseous. "Gonna be…" he groaned out just as a kidney shaped bowl was placed in front of him. He gagged twice before spewing the contents of last night's dinner from his stomach into the bowl. He groaned once more and clasped his hands to his head as he tried to keep the waves of pain under control.

"You want me to ask for some pain meds?" Joshua asked as John heaved into the bowl once more. "You look like you might need some."

"What I need is for you to help me get the hell out of here and back to my boys" John said as he leaned back against the pillow once again. He needed to catch his breath and then he was making his escape whether Joshua liked it or not.

"Just give it a few more hours John. If you can hold down your lunch and dinner, then maybe we'll see about getting you out of here."

"A few more hours my ass. I'm getting out of here now" John said as he once again tried to push himself up off the bed. He didn't succeed however as he felt himself pushed back down by Joshua, unable to fight him in his weakened state. He was then surprised as he felt something tightened around his wrist. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" John asked angrily as he tried to pull his wrist loose.

"I told you that I would tie you down if I had too to keep you here until you were well enough to go back to those boys and I damn well meant it. I will not allow you to kill yourself leaving those boys without a parent because you are too damn stubborn to follow the doctor's orders. You can kick my ass later if it will make you feel better, but until then stop your damn whining and work on getting better" Joshua said with a huff of annoyance.

"Damn you Joshua" John spat out as he lay back in bed too exhausted to fight anymore.

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As Bobby worked on the Corvette, he talked to Dean about the tools he was using and what they were used for. He explained to Dean what he was doing as he worked on the carburetor and the gaskets. He explained why they were important to keep in good working order so that the car would run smoothly. He also showed him the ins and outs of cleaning the air filter and changing the oil. By the time that they had finished working on the car, Dean and Bobby both were covered in grease.

"Hey kiddo, what do you say we go get Sammy and cleanup some so that we can go to the movies" Bobby said as he wiped his hands off on an oil rag. He smiled as he looked at Dean and saw the smear of oil on his nose and across his cheek. The kid was picking things up quickly and would make one hell of a mechanic someday.

"Yay" Dean said as he ran over to the playpen in excitement. "We gotta take a bath Sammy and then we get to go to the movies"

"Damn, damn, damn" Sammy said as he pushed himself up to a standing position. "Up" he stated as Bobby approached him after washing his hands off at the faucet to keep from getting oil on Sammy's clothing.

Bobby winced at hearing the word again. He sure hoped Sammy forgot it before John came back home. He scooped Sammy up and then took the boys inside. He went upstairs to run their bath water and then quickly stripped Sammy's clothes off. He was about to lift him into the tub when Sammy took off as quick as his little feet could carry him "No ba, no ba" he said giggling as he went out the door.

"Oh no you don't" Bobby said as he expeditiously caught up with the toddler in seconds and picked him up and twirled him in the air. He carried Sammy back into the bathroom and placed the squealing youngster into the tub. While Bobby soaped up a wash cloth, Sammy spied the cup that his daddy used to rinse his hair sitting on the edge of the tub. He reached over and picked it up, filling it to the brim and tossed the water at Bobby. He laughed uproariously as Bobby sputtered and shook the water from his face. "Ba Bo--ey" he said happily.

"Yeah tiger, you gave Bobby a bath too" Bobby said laughing as he proceeded to bathe Sammy. By the time that he had finished, Bobby was soaked himself. He took Sammy to the boys room to get him dressed while Dean took his bath.

Approximately an hour later, Bobby and the boys sat in front of the giant movie screen as they watched the action packed Transformers movie with Bobby holding Sammy in his lap. Dean stared on in awe as he watched the cars transforming into giant robots. "Awesome" he gasped as he stared transfixed by the movie. After all the cars had finished their transformation, he turned and said "Did you see that Sammy?" only to find his baby brother snuggled up to Bobby's chest sleeping.

"Aw Sammy" he whispered sadly, his baby brother was going to miss the movie.

**TBC **


	17. Chapter 17

**A Hard Road Ch. 17**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

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John was filled with anticipation as they made their way back to Bobby's place. The doctor had finally agreed to release him on the condition that Joshua keep a close eye on him and if he showed any signs of forgetfulness or excessive sleepiness and nausea to get him back to the hospital right away. Joshua had agreed to the conditions and signed John out as quickly as possible so that they could hit the road and get back to the boys ASAP. They had driven for about five hours before stopping to spend the night in a motel, Joshua insisting that he needed to get a good night's sleep to get rid of the raccoon look around his eyes before his boys saw him.

Now, here he sat in the passenger seat of the truck once again as he lay his aching head against the cool window and thought about the joy of finally seeing his boys again. He had been away from them for over forty eight hours now and that was forty eight hours too long as far as he was concerned. He couldn't wait to hold them both in his arms and smother them with hugs and kisses as he told them just how much he had missed them.

He also thought about things he would need to say as he explained the reason he had been gone so long. He knew right away that Dean would question the stark white bandage that was wrapped around his forehead and he couldn't very well tell him that he had been fighting a nasty spirit now could he. Sure, there would be a time when he would have to introduce his boys to the world of hunting, but not until it was absolutely necessary. Who knows, maybe he could kill the demon that had destroyed their lives so that Dean and Sammy would never have to know about the evil that was out there in the world.

John sighed with relief as they crossed the South Dakota state line. Just another hour or two and they would be in Sioux County where Singer Salvage Yard was located. He couldn't wait to surprise his boys since he hadn't called to let them know he was coming. He knew they would be eating lunch right about now and that Sammy would most likely go down for a nap soon after. Sammy was growing so fast and picking things up left and right that he hoped he hadn't missed any milestones for his baby while he had been laid up in the hospital.

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The boys were in the living room watching a Dungeons and Dragons cartoon on television when Bobby called for them to come eat. He had just finished preparing a can of Spaghettio's for the boys to eat since he knew it was their favorites and something that Sammy could easily swallow even though he made quite a mess with them while eating. "Aw Bobby, can't it wait" Dean called out since Hank and Eric had just been captured by Venger who led the forces of evil. He didn't want to miss seeing how the boys would defeat the evil dungeon master's son.

"I'm sorry sport, but it's time for lunch so Sammy can go down for his nap on time" Bobby said as he walked into the living room. "You know how cranky Sammy can get when he's tired."

"Okay" Dean said as he slumped his shoulders in defeat. He really wanted to watch the cartoon but Daddy would be mad if he didn't respect Bobby. Dean reached out to take Sammy's hand as his little brother slid off the couch but Sammy bolted away instead. "No, no, no, I no nap" Sammy said as he took off running as fast as his little legs would carry him. He quickly crawled under Bobby's desk to avoid being caught as Dean got closer to him.

"You come out of there right now young man" Bobby said sternly as he walked over towards the desk himself.

"I no nap" Sammy said stubbornly as he refused to crawl out. He was a big boy just like Dean and Dean didn't have to take a nap so he wouldn't either. His stuck his bottom lip out in a pout as he saw Bobby's face come into view as the hunter bent down to get on eye level with the youngster.

"Sammy" Bobby said with a warning tone in his voice. "I don't want to have to put you in the corner for bad boy time. You need to come out of there now."

"I'll get him Bobby" Dean said as he scrambled under the desk beside Sammy. He didn't want his baby brother to be in trouble and Daddy had told him that he was supposed to help Bobby with taking care of Sammy. Dean pulled Sammy close to his side as he wrapped his arm around the little tyke.

"Come on Sammy, let's go eat, I'm really hungwy" Dean encouraged hoping that it would get Sammy moving.

"I no nap" Sammy said as tears sprang to his eyes "P'ease De"

"You have to Sammy, but I'll make a deal with you. You come out and eat and De will nap with you 'kay?" Dean waited for Sammy to make up his mind and then both boys crawled out from under the desk. Dean took Sammy by the hand and led him to the kitchen where Bobby has just finished spooning some Spaghettio's into their bowls.

"You did good Dean" Bobby praised as he ruffled Dean's hair with his hand before picking Sammy up, stripping him down to his diaper and placing him in the highchair. He put a bowl in front of each boy as he made himself a ham and cheese sandwich for lunch. He had just sat down at the table to eat his lunch when he noticed Sammy. The toddler's face and chest was covered in spaghettio's and he even had some in his hair. He shook his head in exasperation as Dean giggled at how much of a mess Sammy had made and said "Sammy, you s'posed to eat your skettio's, not wear em."

They had just finished eating and Bobby was getting Sammy out of his highchair to give him a bath when he heard the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside. "Wonder who that is?" he said as he placed Sammy on his hip spaghettio's and all. He cringed as Sammy patted him on both cheeks with his messy hands as they walked to the door. He had no sooner opened the door when Dean skirted around him hollering "Daddy, Daddy, you're home."

Dean ran towards his father and wrapped his arms around John's leg as he looked up at his dad with a huge smile on his face. "Hey champ" John said as he bent down and wrapped Dean up in a bear hug. "Have you been a good boy for Bobby while I've been gone?"

"Yes Sir" dean replied as he cocked his head to the side in wonderment as he noticed the bandage around his daddy's head. "You got an owie?" Dean asked as he reached up to gingerly touch the white bandage.

"Yeah, but don't worry, Daddy's okay, I just fell down some steps and hit my head" he said as Bobby finally approached them. John reached out to take Sammy into his arms as his baby cooed in happiness. He pulled his youngest to his chest in a tender hug and said "I bet you gave Bobby a run for his money didn't ya tiger?" Sammy smiled as he placed a slobbery kiss on his daddy's cheek and said "Damn, damn, damn."

John's eyes went wide in amazement at hearing the words that Sammy had said. He couldn't believe that his almost two year old youngster was already cursing. 'What the hell?" John growled as he looked over at Bobby who was now squirming as he fiddled with his ball cap.

"Sorry about that John, he kind of overheard me saying the word a few times when I was talking to Joshua on the phone after…well, you know" Bobby didn't want to admit that he knew about John's injuries before now in front of Dean.

"Guess I'll have a hard time breaking him from saying that one" John said as he hugged Sammy once again. He couldn't stay angry with Bobby after the way he took care of his boys for him. "But right now, it looks like tiger could use a bath." John transferred Sammy to his left arm and then took Dean by the hand as he led his boys inside the house and up the stairs. He couldn't wait to spend some time alone with his boys, even if it was just to give them a bath.

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Later that evening, Joshua filled Bobby in on the hunt while John carried his boys up the stairs to play with them for a little while before getting them off to bed. Both hunters could sense the need that John had to spend some quality time alone with his boys and couldn't blame the man. John was lucky to have two wonderful sons like Dean and Sammy and they envied the love the boys showed for their father. Bobby and Joshua both smiled as they heard the loud giggles drifting down the stairs. Whatever the Winchesters were doing, it was obvious that they were having fun.

Up in the room. John was lying on the floor as he playfully wrestled with both of his boys. He had Dean pinned to the floor and was tickling him unmercifully to the sounds harmonious laughter while Sammy was crawling all over him in an effort to help his big brother. John quickly scooped his youngest up and placed him beside Dean before blowing a rather loud _"raspberry" _onto his tummy. "No" Sammy laughed as he kicked his little legs in an attempt to free himself.

Soon John allowed his boys to take the upper hand as he allowed himself to be tackled to the floor with both boys doing their best to tickle him. He loved the merriment in their eyes as they held him to the floor while Sammy pushed his tee shirt up and tried to blow a raspberry himself but only managed to slobber all over John's stomach. "Eww that's just nasty" John laughed as he wiped away the mess, but he wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world right now.

All too soon, bedtime arrived and John changed his boys into their pajamas and put a fresh diaper on Sammy before helping them into the bed. He decided to let Sammy sleep with them tonight instead of placing him in the crib. He wanted to feel both of his boys close to him tonight as he slept.

"Daddy, will you tell us a story please?" Dean asked as John placed a blanket over him and Sammy.

"Sure kiddo, what do you wanna hear?" John asked as he shucked off his shoes and jeans before climbing into the bed with his boys.

"The one with the three little pigs" Dean answered loving the way that his daddy told the story.

John gave a fake groan as he said "Not that one again." He knew before he had agreed to tell a story that it was Dean would request it since it was his favorite.

"P'ease Da Da" Sammy said as he snuggled up beside his father, ready to hear the story himself.

"Now how could I say no to that" John said as he proceeded to tell the story to his two young sons.

**TBC **


	18. Chapter 18

**A Hard Road Ch. 18**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

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Time passed by quickly and before John knew it, it was time for Dean's first day of school. He had enrolled him the previous week because he couldn't afford to have Child Services after him for keeping his son from getting a proper education. That wasn't his only reason for sending Dean to school though, Mary was a firm believer in schooling and had planned for the boys to have a college education before they had ever been born. They had even started a college fund for each child on the day that they were born and John had added a hundred dollars to the account each month up until the time that Mary had died. Now that money was just sitting in their accounts drawing interest until he needed it or until the boys went to grad school.

John woke Dean up early to make sure he ate a good breakfast and then he helped Dean get dressed and ready for school before waking up Sammy. He quickly hoisted Sammy up into his arms and carried him to the bathroom and sat him on the potty. Sammy had been potty trained for a few weeks now but was still prone to accidents first thing in the morning. After Sammy had finished his business, John carried his youngest down the stairs with Dean trailing behind him. He noticed that Dean seemed a little nervous and he hoped those nerves would pass before they got to the school. "Grab your backpack champ" John said to Dean as he opened the door. The backpack contained the school supplies that John thought his oldest might need such as pencils, crayon, paper and glue.

"Daddy, do I have to go?" Dean questioned with a slight tremor to his voice. He really, really hated the idea of being away from his family even if it was only for a few hours like his daddy had said. "I won't know anybody there and Sammy might need me. What'll he do while I'm gone and who will take care of him?"

"Sammy will be fine Dean. I'll be right here with him so you don't have to worry and yes, you do have to go" John said as he ruffled Dean's hair. He knew that Dean was scared and it was at times like this that he really missed Mary. Mary would have known what to say and do to make Dean feel better.

"But Daddy…"

"I'm sorry Dean, but you have to go to school bud, there's nothing I can do about it" John said with a touch of regret in his voice as they walked towards the Impala. He buckled Sammy into his car seat as Dean sat down beside him and snapped himself in with the seatbelt. It hurt John to see the pout on Dean's face as his child sat in silence. It was going to be a long drive to the school.

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As John pulled up into the parking lot of the school yard, he surveyed the immediate surroundings to check for any possible dangers. He was happy to see that most of the playground equipment looked fairly new and that there were adults outside supervising the children as they arrived. It made him feel better knowing that Dean would be well looked after. Climbing out of the car, he opened the backdoor and unbuckled Sammy from his car seat. As he hoisted his youngest in his arms, he noticed that Dean had yet to make a move. "Come on kiddo, it's time to go meet your teacher" he said as he gave an encouraging smile to his oldest.

"Please, can't we just come back tomorrow?" Dean said pleadingly using his best sad face trying to break his dad's will.

"No can do sport" John said as he reached in to unbuckle Dean's seat belt. He watched as Dean climbed begrudgingly from the car. He took Dean by the hand and adjusted Sammy on his hip then led them up the steps and into the building. After finding out where Dean's room was, he walked him down the hallway and into room number five.

"Good Morning, My name is Mrs. Shuman and who is this sweet young man?" she asked as she bent down to get on Dean's eye level only too watch him scoot around to hide behind his daddy' legs.

"Sorry about that, he's not used to being around so many people" John apologized with a tight smile. He didn't like being around crowds himself.

"That's quite alright" Mrs. Shuman replied. "Starting school can be very scary for a young child" she said as she watched Dean follow his daddy's instructions. She felt sad for the little boy as she saw the tears glistening in his eyes. She watched as John bent down to comfort his little boy before kissing him on the forehead and telling him he'd be back later to pick him up

"Don't worry Mr. Winchester, we'll take good care of Dean" Mrs. Shuman said remembering having seen Dean's name on her class roster. She then took Dean by the hand and started walking him into the room to show him where to put his things as his father and younger brother left. As John turned and walked away, he was startled by the piercing scream coming from his youngest.

"No De, want De" Sammy screamed as he realized that Dean wasn't coming with them. "Daddy, me want De" he wailed as huge tears started trailing down his plump baby cheeks. John held tightly as Sammy started squirming trying to get down.

"Shh, it's okay baby" he said as he rubbed Sammy's back trying to soothe his youngest. "We'll be back to pick Dean up in a little while, I promise."

"No, down, want De" Sammy pleaded as he looked at John with his sad puppy dog expression while beating on his chest with his tiny little fists. "De, De, help" he screamed at the top of his voice as John tried his best to calm him down.

John looked up to see Dean come racing out of his classroom with Mrs. Shuman following closely behind. "Sammy, Sammy" he hollered as he launched himself at his daddy's legs and then reached up for his baby brother. By now, both boys were crying and it was breaking John's heart in two. He gently knelt down and placed a shaking Sammy in Dean's arms to see his youngest wrap his arms around Dean's neck like he would never let go again. He was amazed to see Dean quickly calm Sammy as he rocked him back and forth softly saying "I gotcha Sammy, I gotcha, don't cry."

John choked back a sob as he felt a huge lump forming in his throat. How in the world could he in all good conscious separate these boys from each other. It was obvious that Sammy needed his big brother just from the desperate cries his youngest had wailed. He hated to think how much his boys were hurting right now. He soon sensed the teacher watching them and knew he needed to explain his boys behavior.

"They've never been separated from each other before" John explained to Dean's teacher never taking his eyes off of his boys. He was seriously considering taking his boys back home and trying this another time when they were more ready for it.

Seeing that Dean's father was struggling and about to give in, Mrs. Shuman said "Why don't you and Sammy come into the room for a little while Mr. Winchester. I'm sure it would make the boys feel better and give them a chance to get used to the idea of being separated." John smiled at Dean's teacher as he gratefully accepted her offer even though he didn't think it would work.

Approximately two hours later, John left the room with a sleeping Sammy in his arms. They had had a busy morning as they sat through an art lesson where the teacher had asked the students to draw a picture of their family. It had nearly broke his heart when he saw the picture that Dean had drawn. The three of them were standing beside a car with Mary sitting on a cloud and looking down at them. He noticed that Dean had drawn a set of angel wings on her back.

Later, he sat through centers were Sammy had been allowed to play with Dean as he played in the block area. He watched as a few of the other boys had joined in to play but Dean just shied away from them and only played with Sammy. After the teacher had called cleanup time, the children were encouraged to join her on the class rug for story time. It was then that Sammy had finally fallen asleep as he listened to the story allowing him to say goodbye to his oldest and leave the room.

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As John walked outside the school building, he found himself unable to leave. He walked over and sat down on the hood of the Impala as he cradled Sammy to his shoulder. He would quietly wait until noon when he could go back in and pick Dean up. He soon heard the bell that signaled recess and saw children coming outside to play. He searched for his oldest and finally found him sitting under a tree by himself. Dean looked so lonely that he decided to hell with it, he was going to pick up his son and take him back home. They would try school again next year.

Just as he started walking towards the building, he saw two little boys walk over and sit beside Dean. One of the boys was smaller than Dean and had curly brown hair. He had on faded blue jeans and a striped blue shirt. The other was a blonde much like Dean, except for he was a little more chubby and he didn't have any freckles. John held his breath as he waited to see what his oldest would do. Finally after a few minutes of coaxing, Dean got up and went over to play on the monkey bars with them. John sighed in relief as he finally saw a smile on Dean's face. Maybe his oldest would be okay.

As noon finally rolled around, John walked back into the school building to pick Dean up while holding a still sleeping Sammy. "How'd it go Champ?" he asked as Dean came running up to him carrying his Transformers backpack.

"Okay I guess. I made some friends" Dean replied as he waved goodbye and turned to follow his dad out of the building. He couldn't wait to get home and play with Sammy. His friends were nice, but Sammy was way cooler than them.

"Glad to hear it" John said as he ruffled Dean's hair. He would feel better about bring Dean to school in the morning knowing that Dean had somebody to play with. He just hoped that Bobby would be willing to keep an eye on Sammy to make the separation easier on the boys. He didn't think he could handle another morning like the one he had already had.

On the way back to Bobby's place, Sammy had woken up and was in a chatting mood. John listened in quietly as Dean told Sammy all about the day he had had. He felt immense pride as Dean talked to Sammy about how he was so much cooler than his new friends Mikey and Todd. Dean was very close to his baby brother and John knew that bond would only grow over time. He would make sure of it.

**TBC I will most likely make small jumps in time now as the boys grow and John becomes more involved in hunting.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A Hard Road Ch. 19**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

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John had just finished another successful hunt with Joshua and was taking a hot shower to wash the grime off his tired body. As the hot water sluiced over his body, he thought about the past couple of years and how much he had learned and the friends that he had made along the way. Bobby had been invaluable with the help that he had given him, but John felt the time had come to leave. He had imposed on Bobby much too long and it was finally time to strike out on his own with his sons. He couldn't rely on Bobby's hospitality forever and he needed to know if his little family could make it on their own. He knew it would be tough trying to balance hunting while raising his boys, but he would learn to do it somehow. Now he just had to break the news to the man who had become his best friend and to his boys. Bobby had become like a beloved uncle to them and he hoped the boys wouldn't be too traumatized by his decision.

Stepping from the shower, he grabbed a soft cottony towel and dried himself off before wrapping it around his hips. He opened the door and felt goose bumps on his skin as the steam billowed out of the bathroom and allowed the cooler air to rush in. He walked quickly to the room he had been sharing with his boys and rifled through his duffle bag until he found a clean pair of boxers, and jeans to pull on. He then put on his favorite USMC tee shirt and headed downstairs to break the news. As he walked down the stairs, he could hear Bobby and Joshua discussing the hunt and cartoons playing on the TV in the background. He decided that it would be best if he put his boys to bed before he talked with Bobby about his decision since he didn't know how Bobby would react and he wanted to break the news gently to the boys in the morning so that they could get a good night's sleep tonight.

Entering the living room, he saw Sammy asleep on a blanket on the floor with his thumb tucked firmly into his mouth. He had been trying to break his thumb sucking habit for the past month but nothing seemed to work. Bobby had even mentioned that is was something he shouldn't worry about since Sammy would grow out of it eventually, but it still concerned him anyway. Could Sammy have been unknowingly traumatized at six months by suddenly being forced to suckle from a bottle after Mary had been killed. Mary had been a firm believer in breast feeding saying that it would bring her and her babies closer as well as give them the essential nutrients to start them off healthy. He bent down and gently picked Sammy up and cradled him in his arms. Looking over at his oldest who was thoroughly engrossed in watching the Thundercats, he walked over and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Time for bed kiddo" he whispered as he rubbed a hand up and down a squirming Sammy's back.

"Kay" Dean replied as he stood up and rubbed his sleepy eyes, he was tired anyway. He followed his dad back up to their room and changed into his pajamas as his daddy took a groggy Sammy to the bathroom. He had already climbed into the bed by the time his daddy brought Sammy into the room. John quickly changed his youngest into his pajamas and then placed him between Dean and the bedroom wall since Sammy preferred to sleep with his big brother now. "Goodnight boys" John whispered as he bent down to kiss both Dean and Sammy on the forehead.

"Night Daddy" Dean whispered before rolling onto his side and throwing a protective arm over Sammy. It didn't take long before both boys emitted deep even breaths signifying that they were both asleep. John placed a blanket over both of his boys and then turned on the nightlight before leaving the room since Sammy felt more secure with it on. Walking down the stairs and into the kitchen, he poured himself a cup of coffee before joining Bobby and Joshua in the living room.

"Are the boys asleep?" Bobby asked as he watched John walk into the room. He could tell that John was a little tense even after his shower and wondered what was running through the man's mind. He decided not to push John on it though knowing that he would open up in his own time. He knew that too much pushing would just shut the man down from previous experience.

"Yeah, they are" John said as he rubbed his hand through the beard he had started growing since Mary's death. He wasn't sure how to get the conversation started so he said the first thing that came to mind. "Uh, there's something I need to talk to you about Bobby."

"Something wrong John?" Bobby inquired trying to make thing easier on the man.

"No. It's just that I think you should know that I've decided that it's time to move on. Me and the boys have imposed on you for too long and we'll be leaving this weekend."

Bobby's heart dropped as he heard the words that John had said. He had really grown attached to the little family and didn't relish the idea of them leaving. The house would be empty and lonely once again without those little two boys to liven up the place. "Are you sure you wanna do that John? I mean I enjoy having you and the boys here. It's not an imposition at all. Why don't you take some time and think it over before you tell the boys."

"I'm sorry Bobby, but I have though about it. I need to know that I can survive the life of a hunter while raising the boys as a single father. Please understand that it's something that I have to do. I promise we'll stop in every so often to visit. The boys love you and I'll make sure they still get to see their "Uncle Bobby."

Bobby smiled at the uncle reference even though inwardly his heart was breaking. He would have to say goodbye to those precious little boys soon and he just didn't know if he was up to it. "You and the boys are always welcome anytime John, I hope you know that. I'm going to miss having those ruffians underfoot."

"Thanks Bobby. I could never repay you for everything you did for me and my boys. If you ever need us, we'll only be a phone call away." With those words, John left Bobby and Joshua to their conversation as he went back upstairs to join his boys. He was kind of tired himself.

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All to soon, Saturday had rolled around and John was packing up the car to leave. The boys were excited about the idea of taking a road trip even though Dean had been upset at first. He had actually cried at first when his dad told him of his plans to leave. He didn't want to leave Bobby and the room he had come to think of his own, but then John had explained how Bobby said they could always come back and that their room would be waiting on them. Dean felt much better after learning that they wouldn't be leaving for good.

After John placed their duffle bags in the trunk, he returned to the house to get the boys. "Dean, Sammy, it's time to…" he began to say before he saw Bobby cradling his children in his arms. Tears were streaming down the rugged hunter's face and John shed a tear of his own as he walked back outside to allow Bobby the privacy of saying goodbye.

"I sure am going to miss you sport and you too tiger" Bobby said as he nuzzled his nose into Sammy's hair. "You boys have brought so much fun and happiness into my life that I feel like I'm losing my own sons now. I just want you boys to know that you always have a home to come back to. Can you remember that for me Dean?"

"Uh huh, and I won't let Sammy forget either Uncle Bobby, I promise" Dean answered.

"Thanks kiddo" Bobby said as he placed a kiss on Dean's forehead. "I love you boys and I'll never forget you. You make sure your stubborn Daddy brings you by for a visit okay?"

"Yes sir" we will and we love you too" Dean said as he wrapped his arms around Bobby's neck. Bobby nodded his head unable to speak due to the large lump in his throat. He stood up to lead the boys out to their father when he felt a small tug on his pants. He looked down to see Sammy's expressive eyes looking back up at him.

"I wuv you Unca Bobby" Sammy said as he reached his arms up to Bobby.

"Oh God" Bobby whispered as tears fell quickly down his face. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve as he bent down to pick Sammy up and pulled him into a bear hug. He really wanted to shoot John Winchester right now for taking these boys away from him. His life would never be the same now.

Carrying Sammy and taking Dean by the hand, Bobby led the youngsters out to their waiting father. As he opened the door, he saw John leaning against the hood of the Impala as he looked around the salvage yard. As they walked out onto the porch and down the steps. John walked over to meet them. "I know how hard this is for you Bobby and I really am sorry. I hope that you'll be able to understand one day that I'm only doing what I have to do. I have to know if we can make it on our own."

"That's the thing John, you don't have to do this alone. We're all here for you and we want to help" Bobby stated in a last ditch effort to get the man to stay.

"I know you are Bobby And I know that you and the others will be there for me if I ever need you. But I have to do this on my own. I have to find the bastard that killed Mary and make him pay for ruining our lives."

"I understand how you feel John, I do, it's just that…aw hell, just please don't forget that I'm here and that I'll be happy to watch those boys for ya any time you need me to ya damned idjit" Bobby stated before drawing a surprised John Winchester into a quick hug. "Don't be a stranger, I expect to see you and those boys gracing my doorstep every so often."

"If nothing else, we'll see you around the holidays Bobby, you can count on it" John said as he reached out to take Sammy. John's eyes were shiny with tears as he placed Sammy in the car seat while Bobby made sure that Dean was strapped in with the seatbelt securely around him. Bobby reached into the car and cupped Dean and Sammy's cheek with the palm of his hand. "Goodbye boys" he choked out around the lump that seemed to have permanently settled in his throat.

"Bye Uncle Bobby" both boys chorused before the doors were closed behind him. They sat talking excitedly in the back seat as John reached out to shake Bobby's hand. "Well, I guess I'll see you around" John stated through a tight smile.

"Yeah, I reckon. You just make sure you take damned good care of those boys back there. If anything happens to them, I'll shoot you myself" Bobby intoned. He then watched as John climbed into the car and started the engine. He stood and watched until the big black muscle car drove out of sight.

**TBC**


	20. Chapter 20

**A Hard Road Ch. 20**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

**Author's Note: **Dean is 7 and Sammy is 3 in this chapter

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As John cleaned the weapons he was going to need for tonight's salt and burn, he looked over at his two sons who were lying on the bed engrossed in watching a Thundercats cartoon. The boys were totally enthralled by the heroic cats and were trying to decide which one of them was Lion-O and which was Panthro. He couldn't understand how they could allow themselves to be so immersed into a make believe world, but he was fine with it as long as his boys were happy. At least these creatures couldn't hurt them. He knew sooner or later that they would be introduced to the evils in their own world and he prayed that it wouldn't be tonight since the boys were going with him on this hunt.

This hunt would be the first where he hadn't dropped them off at the library for story time or found a baby sitter for them while he took care of business. Usually he was close enough to get Bobby or Pastor Jim to baby sit, but this time they were on the other side of the country staying in the seedier side of town in Penobscot Maine. The few teenaged girls around the area they were staying in looked to be on drugs or involved in other less than savory activities and he wasn't about to ask one of them to baby sit his precious boys. No, Sammy and Dean would be going with him tonight and staying in the car. He had already drawn a devil's trap and a quincunx on the car to protect his sons while he did the quick salt and burn. With any luck, his children would sleep through the whole thing and would never know what their daddy did.

Moving on to his next weapon, he picked up the Smith and Wesson rifle and supported it in one hand with the barrel aimed towards the floor. He then picked up the steel cleaning rod with the other hand and eased it down into the barrel to remove any lose powder that could cause it to clog. The most important thing a hunter owned was his weapons and they had to be kept in prime working condition to keep them from misfiring at a crucial point. As he continued cleaning the rifle, he made sure to follow each and every step that Bobby had taught him knowing how invaluable the steps were to maintaining a reliable weapon.

"Daddy whatcha doing?" Dean asked as he walked over to sit beside his daddy. A commercial had come on the TV and he was bored.

"I'm just cleaning my guns sport" John said as he noticed the interest in Dean's eyes.

"What for Daddy, why they gots to be cleaned" Dean inquired as he placed his chin on the palms of his hands as his elbows rested on the edge of the table.

'Well if I don't clean them, they could become rusty or jammed and then I wouldn't be able to use them and somebody could get hurt" John explained without going into too much detail.

"Oh" Dean stated as though the answer couldn't have been any more obvious than what his daddy had said.

Since Dean continued to watch him, John explained all of the steps he was going through with disassembling and cleaning the weapons as he did them. Dean would need to know these things if he eventually decided to become a hunter himself. John prayed that he would be able to kill the yellow eyed demon before that ever happened, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Dean's attention was soon drawn away from watching his dad however as he heard his little brother calling out to him.

"De, I want milk" Sammy hollered as he pushed himself slowly off the bed to keep from falling off. He walked over to where Dean was pouring his milk into a red plastic cup.

"Be careful not to spill it Sammy" Dean admonished as he handed the half filled cup over to his baby brother. They had accidentally left Sammy's sippy cups at Bobby's house and Sammy was using big boy cups now.

"Otay" Sammy replied as he tipped the cup up to his mouth. Dean groaned as he saw the milk leaking out from the sides of Sammy's mouth and down onto his shirt. He wondered if Sammy would ever learn to drink from a cup without spilling some of the contents on him in the process.

"T'anks De" Sammy said as he gave the cup back and then ran over to climb up on the bed once again as the Thundercats came back on.

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A few hours later found the Winchesters driving down the road in the dark of night as John made his way to the Penobscot City Cemetery for what he hoped would be a simple salt and burn. The local pub was being haunted by a barmaid who had been accidentally killed there when she fell and hit her head on the edge of the bar after slipping on the wet floor. As of late, she had been terrorizing the patrons there as she flung whiskey bottles and glasses at their heads. After some researching in the local library, John had been able to pinpoint where she had been buried.

As he pulled up outside of the gates, John glanced into the backseat to see both his boys sleeping. Sammy with his head resting against the side of his car seat and Dean with his head near Sammy's. "S'good" John thought as he climbed out of the car and shut the door as quietly as possible so that he wouldn't wake them up. He walked to the back of the Impala and opened the trunk to uncover his hidden arsenal. Grabbing a rifle, some rock salt, some salt rounds, a container of lighter fluid and a shovel, John quickly encircled the car with a line of salt before entering the cemetery grounds and heading towards the south end. As he walked, he searched for the grave of one Penelope Ann Smithers, the spirit whom he believed to be causing all of the trouble at the bar.

Upon finding the grave, John laid his rifle and salt rounds against the headstone so it would be within easy reach if the spirit decided to show herself. He sunk his shovel into the hard ground and then began to dig. This was his least favorite part about hunting. It usually took him about two to three hours to unearth a grave and he was trying his best to better that time. The longer he was at a grave sight, the bigger chance he had of being caught or accosted by an angry spirit. After two hours and thirty minutes of solid digging, John heard a _thunking_ sound as his shovel connected with the casket. He quickly scooped the dirt off and then opened the grave to reveal the bones hidden inside.

As he climbed out of the grave, he felt the temperature rapidly drop and looked up to see the angry spirit of Penelope standing before him. "Shit" he mumbled as he threw himself towards the gun but suddenly found himself flying through the air as the spirit emitted an unearthly shriek.

The winds suddenly whipped up and thunder began to crash as lightning lit the sky. "This is so not good" John mumbled as he pushed himself to his feet after landing harshly on the ground. He had no doubts that the crashing thunder had probably awoken the boys leaving them scared right about now. Knowing he had to end this hunt quick, John pulled some loose rock salt from his pocket and threw it towards the angry spirit watching as it faded from sight. Also knowing that he had just a moment before the spirit returned, he grabbed up the canister of rock salt and quickly covered the bones before dousing them with the lighter fluid. As he struck a match, he felt the spirit return as icy hands gripped him around the throat. He swiftly dropped the match into the grave as he felt his oxygen being cut off. All at once though, the strangle hold on his throat loosened as the flames quickly engulfed the bones of the angry spirit. John watched the fire burning for jut a few seconds before rushing over towards the car to make sure that his boys were alright.

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Dean was awakened from slumber as he heard a loud shrieking sound coming from outside the car. He opened his eyes to find that his dad was no longer in the car with them and he glanced around to see where they were. He shuddered upon seeing the gravestones letting him know that they were at a cemetery. As he scanned the graveyard, he finally located his dad and saw that he was climbing out of one of the graves. He wondered what on earth he was doing in it in the first place. He didn't have long to contemplate the thought as he felt the car begin to shake as the winds picked up and lightning crashed all around them.

All of the sudden he heard the sounds of Sammy's terrified scream as his baby brother was rudely awakened from sleep by the sounds of thunder booming around them. As Sammy desperately tried to wiggle free from his car seat, Dean reached over an pushed the button to release the straps. He pulled a sobbing Sammy into his arms as he began to rock him back and forth as he held him tight. "Shh, Sammy, I've got you" he replied with as calm a voice as he could muster. He was scared to death himself but he couldn't allow Sammy to see it. He had to take care of his baby brother. He glanced over to his father praying that he would be walking towards them, instead he saw some kind of apparition appear before his father and then his dad went sailing through the air. He gasped out in terror as he watched his dad hit the ground since he couldn't understand what was happening. Knowing that he couldn't let Sammy see what was happening, he quickly pulled Sammy's face to his chest and rocked him some more.

"Shh, don't cry Sammy, De is right here and I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you" he said as he started rubbing circles of comfort on Sammy's back. He was worried about how hard Sammy was shivering in his arms and was afraid he was going to hurt himself if the shaking didn't stop. He hated that his little brother was terrified and that he didn't know how to calm him. He suddenly felt a wet feeling of warmth on his legs and immediately knew that Sammy had wet himself. He didn't care though since he knew just how scared his baby brother was

He was about to open the window and call out to his daddy when suddenly he saw some bright orange and red flames leap out of the grave and highlight the appearance of his father. He saw his dad watch the burning flames for a second before he started running towards them in the car. "It's alright Sammy, Daddy's coming now and he'll take care of us" Dean crooned into his brother's ear as he continued his rocking motion of comfort.

As John got closer to the car, he could see that Dean was holding Sammy and rocking him back and forth. "Damn it" he cursed knowing that his baby boy was most probably scared to death right now. He quickly made it to the Impala and snatched open the back door. He saw the tears running down's Dean's face as he cradled his trembling baby brother to him.

"Dean?" he questioned as he noticed the growing wet spot on his son's jeans.

"Sammy was so scared he wet himself" Dean told him as he released Sammy into John's hands.

"I'm so sorry I left you boys alone and that you were scared" John stated with sadness as he sat down on the bench seat in the back of the car holding Sammy to his chest and Dean to his side. He felt like the worst dad on Earth for letting his boys down. He had no doubts this event was going to cause some major nightmares over the next few days.

**TBC**


	21. Chapter 21

**A Hard Road Ch. 21**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

**Author's Note: **Dean is 7 and Sammy is 3 in this chapter.

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**Previously: **_"I'm so sorry I left you boys alone and that you were scared" John stated with sadness as he sat down on the bench seat in the back of the car holding Sammy to his chest and Dean to his side. He felt like the worst dad on Earth for letting his boys down. He had no doubts this event was going to cause some major nightmares over the next few days._

After Sammy finally stopped sobbing hysterically, John stripped his wet clothing off of him and placed him in his car seat. His baby was starting to nod off in slumber and he needed to get him back to the motel and clean him up so he could sleep in a nice warm bed. As Dean shucked out of his wet jeans, John went to the trunk to retrieve a blanket for the both of them to cover up with so they could stay warm. He placed the frazzled light blue baby blanket over Sammy and tucked it around him securely as his youngest shifted to get comfortable. It was the only thing of Sammy's that was saved from the fire. He used his old army wrap to place around Dean to keep his oldest warm. As he glanced at the wary look in Dean's eye, he knew he would have to talk to his oldest about what happened tonight, but that could wait until they got back to the motel where he could comfort his son if needed.

As he pulled onto the road, he glanced in the rearview mirror to see his oldest looking out of the window with a solemn look upon his face. _"Damn, just how much did he see?" _John wondered as he focused his attention on the road once more. Dean wasn't talking too much and it concerned him. He had been wrong to bring the boys along with him tonight, but it was too late to do anything about that now since the damage was already done. "You doing okay back there sport?" John questioned as he glanced at his oldest once again but all Dean did was shrug his shoulders.

"Come on kiddo talk to me" John pleaded hoping to get his oldest to speak. I need to know that you're alright son. John's heart nearly broke in two as Dean finally looked at him with a broken, desolate look in his eyes and spoke. "Sammy was so scared and I didn't know what to do daddy. Sammy was crying and I couldn't make him feel better because I was scared too."

"Dean it's okay to be scared sometimes. I was scared tonight myself sport."

"You were?" Dean questioned with disbelief in his voice. "But nothing ever scares you Daddy cause you're big and strong."

"I was scared for you boys Dean, especially when I heard Sammy screaming. I didn't know if you boys were okay or not."

"Kay" Dean replied as he turned his head back towards the window not voicing the questions that he wanted to ask the most. _"What was that thing and why did you leave us alone in the car Daddy?"_

John could tell that Dean was holding something back but he chose not to press it while they were in the car. "Okay, you get some rest son, but we're going to talk once we get back to the motel room kiddo." He saw Dean nod his head that he head heard what was said and sighed while thinking _"I really need to find out just what he saw back there at the graveyard."_

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After they arrived back at the motel. John laid a sleeping Sammy on the bed furthest from the door and then grabbed a bowl and carried it to the bathroom. He filled the bowl with lukewarm water and then picked up a wash cloth and cottony towel and returned to Sammy's bedside. He completely stripped down his baby and then washed him while he slept to remove the urine odor from having wet himself. As he washed Sammy, he noticed Dean sitting on the other bed and staring out the window lost in thought.

Finishing up, he dressed Sammy in his pajamas and then lifted him once more and pulled back the blanket and placed him near the wall before covering him up to make sure he didn't fall of the bed while he talked to Dean. He carried the bowl into the bathroom and emptied it's contents before placing the wet wash cloth and towel on a rack to dry. He took a deep breath to calm himself and whispered "Here we go" as he re-entered the bedroom to talk with Dean. He walked around the bed and sat down right beside his oldest. "Looks like the storm has passed" he said as he nudged Dean with his shoulder.

"Uh huh" Dean said as he continued to stare at the night time sky.

Needing to feel closer to his oldest, John reached out and pulled Dean into his lap as he stroked his hair with trembling fingers. "Dean, I know that your upset with daddy right now and I don't blame you. Daddy never should have left you and Sammy in the car alone tonight and I am so, so sorry for doing that, but Dean, I need to know what you saw tonight. Please talk to me kiddo." John could feel Dean tense up and then begin to tremble a little against his chest.

"No Daddy, please don't make me tell you" Dean pleaded as he snuggled further into his father's embrace. He didn't even want to think about tonight. He just wanted to go climb in bed with Sammy and forget about everything. He tried to push himself from his father's arms so that he could do so, but he just felt John's grip tighten around him even more.

"I'm sorry son, but I need to know. I promise that I won't be mad at you, I'm just worried that whatever you saw will give you nightmares if we don't get it out into the open. I love you kiddo and I just want to help you. Please Champ, tell daddy about what you saw."

Dean listened to what his daddy had to say. He certainly didn't want to wake up screaming with nightmares about it every night. Maybe it would be better to tell his daddy and then he could make everything alright.

"I, I heard a loud noise that w-woke me up, but it wasn't the thunder that I heard, it was like somebody yelling. When I looked around, I sawed that you wasn't in the car no more. I was scared a little when I saw that we were at a graveyard cause they give me the creeps Daddy--dead people live there." Dean saw his daddy smile at those words before he went on. "When I finally sawed you, you were down in a hole Daddy and was climbing out of it and then, th-then…" at this point Dean began to visibly tremble much harder.

"Then what Dean, what did you see?" John prodded as he held Dean and began to rock him in a soothing motion hoping to ease some of his fears.

"I sawed _her_ daddy, she just popped up like magic, how'd she do'ed that Daddy?"

"She's a spirit son" John answered as a lone tear rolled down his cheek. "What else did you see kiddo?"

"She wasn't very nice daddy, I sawed her make you get h-hurt…please Daddy, I don't wanna say no more!"

"It's alright kiddo, I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you, then what happened" John asked as he started rubbing a palm in circles on Dean's back.

"Then I sawed you throw something at her Daddy and her went away like magic again and then you maked that big fire. Why you did that Daddy?" Dean inquired as he turned around to face his father.

"Well Dean, I had to make that fire so she would go away and not come back. She was what we call and angry spirit. She didn't know how to move on so daddy helped her to do it. I had to do what is called a salt and burn so the lady could go to wherever she was supposed to go" John explained in simple terms so that Dean would be able to understand.

"You mean so she wouldn't be stucked no more?" Dean questioned.

"That's right kiddo, so she wouldn't be stuck anymore." John placed a calloused palm on Dean's cheek and then went on to say, "This is Daddy's job now Dean. I help spirits to move on and do other things."

"Like what Daddy?" Dean asked with a big yawn.

"Well kiddo, we'll talk about that later. Uh Dean, did Sammy see the lady too? John asked as he worried his bottom lip with his teeth.

"Nope, he stayed asleep until the thunder woked him up and made him scared" Dean replied honestly.

"S'good, I don't think we should tell Sammy about what you saw okay kiddo, Sammy is too little to know about spirits and things just yet."

"I won't tell him Daddy, I promise. I don't want him to be scared" Dean said as he wrapped his arms around his daddy's neck.

"That's my boy" John said as he hugged Dean back. "Right now I think you need to get some sleep so why don't you go take a quick shower and get changed into your pajamas. I'm sure Sammy is missing his snuggle buddy over there." John replied as he mussed Dean's hair.

"Okay Daddy" Dean replied as he pushed himself off the bed and went in the bathroom to take a shower while his dad got his pajama's for him. His dad was right, it did help him to feel better after talking.

After Dean had finished his shower and climbed into bed beside Sammy, John took a quick shower himself to wash the grime and sweat away from his body. He then salted the doors and windows before climbing into bed himself. Damn he was tired. Soon. the sounds of oft snoring could be heard as the Winchesters relaxed into sleep.

A few hours later, the peace and tranquility of the night was shattered however by the sounds of a child's terrified screams. John immediately pushed himself from the bed to turn on the lights knowing that Dean was having one of his nightmares again. Damn, he had hoped their talk would have soothed him enough to keep them away. He was surprised however as he flipped on the light switch to see Dean pulling a screaming Sammy close to him.

"Shh Sammy, I got you, shhh, don't cry baby brother, De's got you." John was amazed to see Sammy starting to calm down as his sobbing lessened in frequency and loudness while Dean cooed soothing words into his ears. Knowing that Dean had things well in hand with his youngest, John rummaged through his duffle bag until he found the nightlight and plugged it in, hopefully it would help to ease Sammy's fears some. That and the fact that he was now going to climb into bed with his boys and pull them close to provide what little comfort he could to hopefully help them to sleep through the night.

**TBC**


	22. Chapter 22

**A Hard Road Ch. 22**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

**Author's Note: **Dean is 8 and Sammy is 4 in this chapter. SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT ON THIS CHAPTER!

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As John packed his duffle bag with the items he would need for the P-skig-demos hunt, he glanced over at his youngest child who was presently engrossed in watching cartoons on television. He hated that he was about to leave his boys alone in a cheaply rented house for twenty four hours or more on their own, but this hunt was just too damned dangerous to take the boys along since the creature was a slayer of men and children. As he finished packing his gear, he turned around to face his oldest child. "Dean, I know this is kind of scary for you, but you're a big boy now and I know I can trust you to take care of things while I'm gone. I've left enough food for you and Sammy to eat until I get back, just make sure you keep Sammy away from the stove while you're heating the food. There is also some juice in the refrigerator so you shouldn't have to leave the house for any reason. Don't answer the phone unless it rings three times and then stops before ringing again, that way you'll now that it's me calling. Make sure you keep the door locked and keep the salt lines in tact. And most importantly Dean, make sure…."

"Make sure I watch out for Sammy" Dean finished for his dad with a knowing smile. His dad had been preparing him for the past two days for the responsibility of watching over Sammy while he was gone. They had gone over things at least twenty times until Dean had everything firmly set in his mind. He knew how to properly salt the windows and doors and he knew how to heat canned food since he had been doing that for over a month now. He also knew that if forty eight hours had passed with no word from his dad, he was to call Bobby or Pastor Jim for help. "I can do this dad, don't worry about us, we'll be fine" Dean informed his dad hiding the nervousness he felt. He wanted his dad to have faith in him and his ability to take care of Sammy.

"I know you can Ace" John said as he reached out to ruffle Dean's hair. "Make sure Sammy gets a bath tonight and that he is in bed by eight."

"Yes Sir" Dean replied as he watched his father walk over to say goodbye to his baby brother. He knew Sammy wasn't old enough to understand what was happening, but he still deserved to know that their dad was leaving for a little while.

As John sat on the couch beside his youngest child, he picked Sammy up and placed him in his lap. "Hey tiger, whatcha watching?" John asked as he smoothed down Sammy's unruly hair with his hand.

"Fundercats" Sammy replied as he snuggled into his dad's arms. "You wanna watch too Daddy?"

"Sorry tiger, but daddy has to leave for a little while. I want you to listen to your big brother and do everything that Dean says okay kiddo?"

"Otay Daddy" Sammy replied as he turned around to kiss his daddy on the cheek and wrap his arms around his neck. "I wuvs you Daddy"

"I love you too kiddo" John said as he returned the embrace. His baby was still innocent about the things that happened out there in the world and he hoped it would remain that way for a long time to come. He hated that Dean already knew what he hunted, but it couldn't be avoided after what he had witnessed almost a year ago in the graveyard. John kissed Sammy on the head before placing him on the couch once again so he could watch his cartoon.

Taking a deep breath, John walked over towards the door and grasped the doorknob in his hand, and twisted it open. As he said goodbye to his boys once gain he felt a huge knot of guilt deep in his gut as he took those first few steps out the door and then shut it behind him. What kind of father was he to leave two small children under the age of ten on their own for any length of time? He almost turned around to go back inside and get them, but then he realized it would be ten times more dangerous for the boys to be on the hunt than staying by themselves. He quickly jogged to the Impala and placed his stuff inside. He pulled out of the driveway and drove away before he could change his mind.

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After his Thundercats cartoon went off, Sammy quickly became bored since the only other cartoon coming on was Jem and that was for sissy girls. He pushed himself up off the couch and walked over towards Dean who was reading a Batman comic. "Deanie, can we go outside and play?"

"I'm sorry Sammy but Daddy said we have to stay inside."

"Pwease Deanie, there aint nuthin to do in here" Sammy pleaded with his expressive puppy dog eyes.

"Daddy said no Sammy and 'sides, it's too cold out there for you right now since you've had the sniffles the past few days" Dean replied as he continued to read his comic.

"But Deanie, I'm bored" Sammy said using a statement he heard Dean use on their dad many times to get him to allow them to go out to play.

"Tell ya what Sammy" Dean said as he lay his comic book down on the table. "Why don't we play with my soldiers. I'll build us a fort with some chairs and the blankets off our beds and then we can battle it out with your dinosaurs. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"Yay, we gets to have a battle" Sammy hollered as he took off racing to find his dinosaur toys.

While Sammy searched for his dinosaurs, Dean pulled the blankets off of his and Sammy's bed and took them to the kitchen. He pulled the chairs out from the rickety old dining room table and set about making their fort. Once he had the fort just as he wanted it, he returned to their room to get his soldiers. He was surprised when he found Sammy sitting on his bed and crying. He quickly crossed the room and kneeled down in front of his baby brother.

"What's the matter tiger, why are you crying?"

"I ca-can't s find the dino-dinosaurs" Sammy wailed as he threw himself into Dean's waiting arms and wrapped his own arms around Dean's neck.

"It's alright, I'll help you find them" Dean soothed as he rubbed a comforting hand on Sammy's back. Daddy probably just put them up on the high shelf without thinking." Dean used his thumb to wipe away Sammy's tears and said, "You go crawl under my bed and pull out the shoebox with the soldiers in it and I'll find your dinosaurs okay."

"K-Kay" Sammy replied as he wiped his runny nose on his sleeve and then climbed off the bed to do as Dean said. By the time he had pulled the soldiers out, Dean had found his dinosaurs which had been hidden under their winter coats that were lying on the floor in the closet.

"Okay Sammy I got em, let's go have a battle."

The dinosaurs were waging a long and weary fight, but the soldiers were winning because of all their awesome firepower. They had taken out the dinosaurs one by one as the corporals separated them from each other while Seargant Sammy threw grenades and Master Sergeant Dean shot them with his assault rifle. Dean was just setting up the dinosaurs for their next offensive when he crawled back into the tent to find Sammy curled up and fast asleep on the floor. "Looks like the battle has to be put on hold" he said as he smiled at the sight that met his eyes. He walked into their dad's room and grabbed a blanket off of his bed to cover Sammy up with since it was kind of cool on the floor. He didn't need Sammy to get sick on him before Daddy got back.

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Approximately an hour later, Sammy crawled out of the tent and was scrubbing the sleep from his eyes with his fists as he looked around for Dean. He glanced into the living room to see his big brother sitting on the couch and watching a cartoon. He slowly walked into the room and crawled up on the couch to lay down with his head in Dean's lap. Dean absent mindedly ran his fingers through Sammy's hair as they watched Scooby Doo together. It was just getting to the scary part when Dean heard Sammy's tummy rumble. "Sounds like you're getting hungry Sammy. Do you want me to make you something to eat?"

"Uh huh, can I have scabettio's?" Sammy asked since they were his favorite thing to eat.

"Sure you can" Dean replied as he helped Sammy to sit up and then had Sammy follow him into the kitchen while he warmed the Spaghettio's for him. He had seen this episode of Scooby Doo before and knew that Sammy would be scared by the ghost.

"Okay, you get the bread and the butter for me while I put the food on to cook" Dean said as he opened up the can of Spaghettio's. He knew that Sammy liked butter bread with his spaghetti as much as he did. While the food was warming. Dean pulled out a knife and buttered one piece of bread for Sammy and two for himself. After the food was ready, he spooned some into two bowls and then placed them on the table while Sammy got them two cups for their juice. He poured each one of them a glass of apple juice before sitting down to eat himself.

After they finished, Dean quickly washed the dishes and then ran some bath water for Sammy since it was already seven thirty in the evening. He added some bubble bath knowing how much Sammy enjoyed playing with the bubbles. He allowed Sammy to play for a few minutes before he gave him his bath and then helped him out of the tub so he could dry him off and dress him in his Spiderman pajama's. He made sure that Sammy brushed his teeth and used the bathroom before grabbing their blankets from the kitchen and taking him their room.

"Can I have a story Deanie?" Sammy asked as he climbed up into the bed while Dean covered him up.

"Sure ya can dude, which one do you wanna hear?" Dean asked knowing exactly which book Sammy would say.

"The Free Bears" Sammy said as he snuggled down onto his pillow. He loved the way that Dean did the voice for Daddy Bear, Deanie Bear, and Sammy Bear.

By the time the story was over, Dean closed the book and leaned down to kiss his sleeping baby brother on the forehead. "Sweet Dreams Sammy" he said as he turned off the light and left the room. He made sure to leave the door open so he could hear if Sammy had a nightmare. He sat down on the couch and turned the television on low as he waited for his dad to call.

**TBC**


	23. Chapter 23

**A Hard Road Ch. 23**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

**Author's Note: **Dean is 8 and Sammy is 4 in this chapter.

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**Previously: **_"Sweet Dreams Sammy" Dean said as he turned off the light and left the room. He made sure to leave the door open so he could hear if Sammy had a nightmare. He sat down on the couch and turned the television on low as he waited for his dad to call._

Dean was suddenly awoken from his sleep as he heard the terrified sound of Sammy crying out in panic. In his haste to get to his baby brother, he fell off the sofa before pushing himself up to his feet and running down the hallway, skinned knee and all. He didn't bother turning on the light as he ran into the room and over to his baby brother. He could see Sammy sitting up in the bed and shaking like a leaf by the light of the full moon shining through the window. He quickly pulled Sammy into his arms and started rocking him back and forth as he caressed his back in comfort. "Shh, it's alright, I've got you. Everything's okay Sammy, I'm here now, please don't cry."

Sammy wrapped his small arms around Dean's neck and buried his face into Dean's shoulder as he continued to sob. He pulled his legs and arms in trying to curl himself up into a small ball within his big brother's arms as he took hitching breaths while Dean tried to soothe him. "I's scared Deanie" he mumbled into his brother's chest.

"Why are you scared Sammy, did you have a bad dream?" Dean asked trying to figure out what was wrong so he could make it better.

"N-No, Dere's a m-monster out-outside m-my window-ow and it's trying to-to g-get in" Sammy stuttered out between sobs.

"Dean immediately began to worry wondering if it was some ghost or angry spirit trying to get into the house. He had his dad's .45 and knew how to use it from the target practice he had been doing for the past few months, but he had left it out in the living room. He picked Sammy up to go and get it when he heard Sammy suddenly scream out in terror once again.

"D-Dere it is a-again" Sammy wailed as his trembling increased tenfold when he heard the scratching sounds outside his bedroom window once more.

"Where Sammy, where is the monster?" Dean questioned as he frantically looked around trying to see what Sammy saw.

"Out-outside the w-window" Sammy said as he buried his head into the crook of Dean's neck.

Dean glanced towards the window to see a weird looking tree branch scraping across the window in the breeze. He had to admit in the dark that it did look like a giant grotesque hand with it's claws screeching against the glass. No wonder it had scared Sammy so bad.

"Aw Sammy, it's okay, there isn't a monster by the window. That's a tree branch blowing in the wind" Dean informed his little brother as he cradled him in his arms.

"You, you pwomise?" Sammy asked as he looked up at Dean with soulful eyes glistening with tears.

"I promise dude, I'll even pinkie swear with ya" Dean said as he raised his right hand with the pinkie extended to lock fingers with Sammy. "Okay, now that we know there isn't any monster, let's get you back to bed little dude" Dean said as he walked Sammy over and placed him on his bed.

"Will you stay wif me Deanie?" Sammy asked as he sucked on his fingers frightened of the possibility of having to stay in their room alone.

"Sure I will, scoot over and give me some room" Dean said as he climbed into his baby brother's bed. He knew Sammy would never be able to fall asleep without having the comfort of his big brother beside him. As he felt Sammy curl into his side, he remembered that his dad had not yet called. He wondered if something had gone wrong since his dad had promised to call by ten o'clock. He was scared that something might have happened but he couldn't let Sammy know that, so he pulled Sammy in close and listened to the sounds of his breathing evening out into sleep. It wasn't long before he himself was lulled into sleep by the sounds of the night once again.

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As John lay on the ground shivering and looking up at the black sky overhead, he worried how his boys were doing at home. He should have called Dean over six hours ago, but here he was freezing his damn ass off with blood seeping down his injured and broken leg. He wondered how the hell could he have allowed himself to be jumped by the P-skig-demos demon. He thought he had been totally prepared for the hunt, but obviously he had been wrong. He had been lucky to get a shot off with the copper tipped bullets made out of consecrated iron--the only thing known to kill this particular kind of demon. He had watched the bitch limp off with her shattered hip but knew it could come back at any time. He had left an obvious trail as he made his way through the woods due to dragging himself along, his leg unable to support him. He was in so much freaking pain and seriously doubted that he would make it to the Impala before passing out. The only thing that kept him going was the thought of leaving his boy orphaned if he gave into the pain allowing the demon to find him unconscious and kill him.

He checked the cloth strip he had tied around his bleeding leg to see that it was turning a crimson red. Damn that bitch for clawing his leg up so badly before tossing him into the boulder that snapped the bone in his leg. He just prayed that the cloth binding would keep any dirt from getting into the wound and causing a serious infection. Hell things were already bad enough without that happening. Knowing that he had to continue on, he took a deep breath and gritted his teeth against the pain in his leg as he forced himself to move. "Damn it, where is the Darvocet when you need it?" he said wishing he had the pain killer available right now. He had moved a few feet when he thought he heard the sound of movement off to his right. It was just a fraction of a second where he could have sworn he heard a twig snapping in the distance. He quickly sat up and pulled his pistol from the back of his jeans. "Come on bitch, I'm ready for ya this time" he growled out as he steadied his hands. That frigging demon was going down.

As he waited for the creature to show itself, he could feel the sweat running into his eyes and used his arm to swipe it away, he couldn't afford to have the salty water blurring his vision. In the second it took to wipe his eyes, he suddenly realized that something was behind him. "Son of a bitch" he swore as he tried to turn himself around in time to keep from being attacked. But in doing so, he wrenched his broken leg and screamed out in pain as he dropped to the ground fighting to stay conscious. Just before blacking out, he saw a face as it swam in his fading vision. He heard a voice say "Take it easy, you're gonna be okay" before he gave into the blessed dark void of unconsciousness.

The next time John became aware of his surroundings, his nose was immediately assaulted by the smell of strong disinfectant. He opened his eyes to see the pristine white ceiling as he lay in a hospital bed. "How…?" he began to question with a croaky voice only to suffer a sudden bout of coughing from an extremely dry throat.

"I brought you in" he heard a man say with a deep baritone voice. He looked over to see a man a few years younger than himself with a muscular build and jet black hair reaching over to grab a cup of water from the stand. He placed the cup in front of John and instructed him to sip as he held the straw up to his mouth. John took a quick sip and then asked "Who are you?" as he tried assimilate the events of the past few hours and how he ended up in the hospital.

"The name's Caleb. I was out there in the woods hunting a dem--deer when I stumbled upon you. It's a damn good thing too since you had a broken leg which was bleeding pretty badly. So is there anybody I can call for you to let them know you're okay?"

"Shit. My boys, how long have I been out?" John asked as he tried to push himself up into a sitting position.

"The better part of five hours" Caleb replied as he helped the man before him to sit up. "By the way, you got a name?"

"Oh sorry, the name is John, John Winchester" John replied as he noticed a shocked look cross the other man's face.

"Wait a minute, Winchester? You wouldn't be the same Winchester that Bobby Singer and Jim Murphy was telling me about would you?" Caleb inquired.

"The one and the same" John replied knowing that the man before him must be a hunter. He had heard Joshua mention the name Caleb a few times when they had hunted together but he had never actually met the man face to face. "Listen, could you get me a phone. I need to make a few calls. I need to call my boys to let them know I'm alright and to let Bobby Singer know where they are so he can go pick them up."

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Bobby Singer was drinking his second cup of coffee and reading the morning paper when he heard his phone ringing. He stood up to go answer it and tripped over his dog Rumsfeld who had been laying by his feet. "Get out of my way you good for nothing guard dog" Bobby complained as he hobbled over towards the phone after painfully stubbing his toe.

"Singer here, what can I do for ya?" Bobby asked as he answered the phone.

"Hey Bobby, this is John. I need you to do me a favor."

"Sure John, what do you need?" Bobby asked figuring the hunter needed him to research a hunt or watch the boys for a day or two. He hoped it was the latter because he really missed those boys. It had been over a year since he had seen them last.

"I need you to pick up the boys for me and take them to your house until I can get there."

"Where the hell are you and why ain't they with you?" Bobby inquired perplexed as to why the boys were separated from John.

"I'm in the hospital right now but they're discharging me in a few hours. I was on a hunt for a P-skig-demos demon and couldn't take the chance of taking the boys with me."

"I'll leave to get them right away. Just make sure you call whoever is watching them to let them know I am coming."

Uh about that Bobby. I kind of left Dean in charge while I went on this hunt. I figured…"

"You did what" Bobby exploded sure that he couldn't have heard the man right. There was no way he would be stupid enough to leave those two small boy on their own when Dean was only nine years old. "If you said what I think you just said I am going to fill your ass full of buckshot as soon as I see you. How could you be so damned irresponsible you freaking idgit?"

John cringed as he pulled the phone away from his ear while Bobby ranted. He knew the man was going to be upset with him about leaving the boys alone. He waited for Bobby to quit ranting before he said, "Damn it Bobby, there just wasn't anybody to watch them at the time and I just couldn't take the chance that they could be hurt on the hunt. You know as well as I do that the f*cking P-skig-demos demon is known for slaying children."

"Then you should have just skipped the hunt. Damn it John, don't you realize that anything could have happened to those boys while you were gone. Don't you know how many perverts are out there in the world waiting to get their hands on kids like Dean and Sammy?

"I know Bobby, but I gave Dean strict instructions not to go outside or open the door without our secret knock or the password. Listen, we can discuss this later. Can you please just go and get my boys?"

"I'll leave right now. Make sure you call Dean and tell him that I'm coming. Now I just need to know the password." Bobby listened to the password John had given him and committed it to memory. He was sure that the boys must have picked this one. As he threw on a jacket and walked out the door, he thought about the things he wanted to do to John Winchester for leaving those boys alone.

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Dean had woke up early as the sunlight streamed through the window and into his eyes. He quickly climbed out of the bed to fix him and Sammy a bowl of cereal and some toast before waking up his baby brother. He had to make things seem normal for Sammy so his baby brother wouldn't be upset that their father had not yet made it home. It scared the hell out of Dean wondering why his dad still hadn't called. If he didn't get a call by tonight, he would call Pastor Jim or Bobby Singer to come and get them. He had just poured him and Sammy a glass of orange juice when he heard the phone ringing. He heard it ring three times and then stop before it started ringing again. He breathed a sigh of relief knowing that it was his father.

"Hi Dad" Dean said, relief evident in his voice as he answered the phone. "Why didn't you call me last night when you were supposed to?"

"Sorry about that Ace, things didn't go as I expected on the hunt and I sort of got myself hurt. But don't worry, I'm at the hospital and they gave me a brand new cast for my broken leg. Listen son, I've called your Uncle Bobby and he is on his way to pick you boys up but it will be a few hours before he can get there. I want you to pack up some things for you and Sammy. We're going to stay at Bobby's for a few weeks while my leg heals up some." John said.

"Yay, I can't wait to see Uncle Bobby" Dean said with joy knowing how much fun he and Sammy would have over the next few weeks. Maybe Bobby would even let him help with fixing a car again. "I'll start packing mine and Sammy's things as soon as I get the little dude up and we eat breakfast."

"That's good Dean. Don't open the door unless Bobby uses the password Thunderbirds are go. I've told him that you will be expecting him in a few hours. I'll see ya soon kiddo. And Dean…"

"I know dad, make sure I watch out for Sammy."

"You got it Ace. I'll see ya soon. I love you boys."

"We love you too dad. See ya when we get to Bobby's" Dean replied before hanging up the phone. He had a lot of things to get done before Bobby arrived.

**TBC**


	24. Chapter 24

**A Hard Road Ch. 24**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

**Author's Note: **Dean is 8 and Sammy is 4 in this chapter.

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**Previously: **_"We love you too dad. See ya when we get to Bobby's" Dean replied before hanging up the phone. He had a lot of things to get done before Bobby arrived._

While Sammy finished his breakfast of Lucky Charms and then sat down to watch cartoons on the television, Dean ran about the house throwing his and Sammy's things together. Being the sweet little boy that he was, Sammy had offered to help but Dean turned him down knowing that he could get things done quicker if he just did the packing by himself. After he had the items packed that they would need to get them through the next few weeks, he went around the house checking all the protective wards. He made sure each window had a new line of salt laid to keep the demons out while they were gone since he didn't know if his dad had planned on coming back to the same house when he felt better.

As soon as he finished making sure the house would be safe, Dean went to the kitchen and ran some water into the sink to wash the few dishes that he and Sammy had dirtied. He knew his dad wouldn't want to come back to a nasty looking kitchen with the dishes growing mold on them from being left to sit for a couple of weeks. He shuddered to think about the critters that the food would draw in if he didn't get it taken care of. He wouldn't admit it to anybody, not even his dad, but he sure hated mice. It only took him a few minutes to clear the dishes off the table and get them washed up and put into the drainer to dry.

After he completed cleaning the kitchen, his last task was to get Sammy changed out of his pajamas and into some clothing for the ride to Bobby's place. He walked to the bathroom and pulled out a wash cloth to wash the milk mustache off of Sammy's face before going to their room and getting the clothes had had laid out for Sammy. He carried them into the living room and sat the clothes on the couch beside Sammy as he wiped the kid's face off.

"Deanie stop, I's watching my toons" Sammy said as he tried to push Dean's hand and the warm washcloth away from his face.

"Sorry Sammy, but I have to get you ready for when Uncle Bobby picks us up" Dean explained as he went about his chosen task. Once he was happy with how clean Sammy's face looked, he pulled his pajama shirt off and then pulled on a long sleeved Transformer shirt. "Stand up a minute Sammy" Dean ordered so that he could remove Sammy's pajama bottoms and put on his blue jeans. Sammy quickly complied without ever taking his eyes off of the He-Man cartoon that he was currently enthralled by. After Dean snapped and zippered his jeans, he sat back down on the couch so his big brother could put his shoes and socks on.

"Okay Sammy, you're good to go" Dean said as he started to pull on his own socks and shoes. He didn't want to keep Uncle Bobby waiting when he got there.

"T'ank you Deanie" Sammy said with a smile, happy that he didn't have to try and tie his sneakers by himself.

"You're welcome tiger" Dean replied as he reached out to ruffle the curly brown locks of Sammy's hair. He had just sat down to watch He-Man himself when he heard a loud knock at the door. He whispered for Sammy to be quiet as he waited to see if it was Bobby.

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After a too long drive that had him worrying about the boys and whether or not they were alright, Bobby finally arrived at the dilapidated house that the Winchesters had been renting. He walked up onto the porch, being careful where he stepped and knocked loudly on the door. "Dean, Sammy, you boys in there?" Bobby called out as he knocked on the door once again. "It's me, your Uncle Bobby, you can open up now" he said as he waited to hear the sound of footsteps approaching. Upon hearing none, he became a little antsy wondering what was wrong before suddenly realizing he hadn't said the password. Hey sport, I forgot to say the password. He cleared his throat and said "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO" rather loudly to make sure that he was heard.

It only took seconds for Bobby to hear the sound of feet running across the floorboards inside. He heard the sound of the metal bolt being unlatched before the door started to open. The next thing he knew, he was caught off guard by a small blur that leaped up towards him yelling "Unca Bobby." He quickly reached out to catch the little blur before he could crash down to the floor. "Hey there tiger" Bobby said with a grin as he picked up Sammy and walked inside. He swung Sammy around in the air like an airplane to the delighted squeals of the youngster in his hands.

"I've sure missed you boys" Bobby said as he placed a kiss on Sammy's forehead while pulling Dean into a one armed hug.

"We missed you too Uncle Bobby" Dean replied while Sammy gave Bobby a wet and slobbery kiss on the cheek.

"Have you got everything packed?" Bobby questioned as he pulled out a handkerchief to dry his cheek.

"Yes Sir, we're ready" Dean replied as he pointed to the duffle bags sitting on the floor.

"Well then, let's hit the road" Bobby said as he turned around and picked up both duffle bags and carried them out the door in his left hand since his right was still occupied with holding Sammy. He waited for Dean to lock up the place before walking carefully across the porch and down the steps. He opened the door to his blue Ford pickup and placed Sammy in the carseat he had brought along for the youngster. He quickly buckled him in and then walked around the front of the truck while Dean climbed on the seat and then buckled himself in. Climbing into the driver's seat, Bobby placed the key in the ignition and started up the truck. He listened to the purr of the engine before backing out of the driveway and pulling onto the road.

As he drove down the road, Bobby was amazed how Dean kept Sammy occupied by playing games with him or telling stories. Sammy didn't have the time to become cranky or restless as he listened to the story of Sammy and the Beanstalk. Bobby was flabbergasted by how easily Dean wove the details of the story into their own personal lives to make the story even more interesting tfor his baby brother. He grunted in amusement when Dean named the giant after him. Of course in the end, it was big brother Dean who came to save the day by chopping down the beanstalk and tickling the giant until he turned into a statue to display in their yard. Bobby just shook his head in wonder knowing that Dean had changed the ending so as not to scare Sammy by killing the giant Bobby off.

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They had only been on the road for a couple of hours when Sammy started squirming around in his seat. "What's the matter tiger?" Bobby asked as he glanced over towards the youngest Winchester.

""I gots to go" Sammy said with wide eyes as his squirming increased in frequency.

"Crap" Bobby whispered as he looked around for a place to stop. He should have thought about taking bathroom breaks since Sammy was still so young. Spotting a Dairy Queen just down the road, he said "Hold it in tiger, where gonna stop at the DQ." Bobby quickly pulled into the parking lot as Dean released the straps holding his baby brother in his seat. Bobby reached over and plucked Sammy out of the seat and quickly carried him inside the fast food restaurant with Dean following closely behind. Bobby breathed a sigh of relief as he got Sammy to the potty and pulled his jeans and boxers down just in time to keep the child from wetting himself.

After he helped Sammy wash his hands and he and Dean had taken care of business also, Bobby picked Sammy up and was headed back out the door when he heard Sammy tell him to "stop."

"Do you gotta go again already Sammy?" Bobby questioned unbelievably. There was no way that Sammy could possibly have to potty again already.

"No, I's not gotta go again Unca Bobby, I wants some ice cweam p'ease" Sammy satted making those sad puppy dog eyes that always worked on his dad and his brother.

"Sammy, I think it's too early for you to be eating ice cream kiddo" Bobby said as he resumed his walk out the door. His progress was halted however as he heard the toddler sniffling and noticed the quiver to his bottom lip.

"Aw Sammy, don't do that tiger" Bobby said as he immediately reversed directions and walked back inside the restaurant with Dean laughing beside him.

"What's so funny Ace?" Bobby asked Dean as he walked up to the counter to purchase the ice cream.

"Nothin Uncle Bobby, can I have some ice cream too?"

"Sure you can Dean, now what do you boys want?" Bobby inquired as he looked at the different selections.

"I wants da vani-la-la-la ice cweam cone" Sammy stated since vanilla was his favorite.

"Can I have a banana split?" Dean asked since it cost more money and he wasn't sure Bobby would agree.

"Sure you can sport" Bobby replied as he ordered the vanilla cone for Sammy and a banana split for both him and Dean. He led the boys over to an empty table and they all sat down to enjoy their treat with Bobby praying that he hadn't done the wrong thing in allowing Sammy to eat ice cream when it was still a two hour drive to get back to the salvage yard.

After they had finished their ice cream, Bobby took Sammy to the bathroom once again to clean up his face and then walked back out to the truck. He took a clean shirt out of Sammy's duffle bag and changed him since the shirt he was already wearing was covered in melted ice cream. Afterwards, he placed Sammy back into his carseat with Dean climbing in after he had finished. As he pulled out onto the highway, he noticed that Sammy's head was already beginning to droop. He smiled at the sight as Sammy fought to stay awake. It only took a few short minutes of quiet driving for Sammy to give up the fight and slip off to sleep.

"Sleep tight tiger" Bobby whispered as he reached over to muss Sammy's hair with his hand. He couldn't wait to get back to the salvage yard and spend some time with the boys. But their father was a whole other story! When John and Caleb arrived, John was going to catch mortal hell from him for daring to leave those boys to fend for themselves.

**TBC**


	25. Chapter 25

**A Hard Road Ch. 25**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

**Author's Note: **Dean is 8 and Sammy is 4 in this chapter. **I'm so sorry for the long wait on this chapter. I will try to do better with getting them out more quickly!**

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**Previously: **_"Sleep tight tiger" Bobby whispered as he reached over to muss Sammy's hair with his hand. He couldn't wait to get back to the salvage yard and spend some time with the boys. But their father was a whole other story! When John and Caleb arrived, John was going to catch mortal hell from him for daring to leave those boys to fend for themselves. _

Arriving at the Salvage Yard approximately three hours later, Bobby pulled his old truck into the front yard and glanced over at the sleeping boys beside him. Dean had finally given into sleep and had his head laying against Sammy's carseat with his left hand resting on his baby brother's leg. Bobby couldn't help but think how innocent both of the boys looked in sleep. It pained him to know that Dean was already aware of the supernatural dangers out there in the world and that he knew John was a hunter. He dreaded the day that Sammy would finally be introduced to the things that really do go bump in the night.

He quietly climbed out of the truck and walked around the front of it to get to the passenger side. He opened the door gently and shook Dean on the shoulder. He watched as the tousled haired child opened weary eyes to look at him. "Hey sport, we're home" he informed Dean as he watched him knuckle the sleep from his eyes. He saw Dean emit a big yawn as he stretched and arched his back to get the kinks out of it. He helped Dean down from the truck before reaching in and unbuckling Sammy from his carseat. He gently lifted the sleeping child into his arm and rested Sammy's head against his shoulder. Picking up the boys duffle bags with the other hand, he led them into the house.

Bobby dropped the boys duffle bags beside the door and then walked over to place Sammy on the sofa to sleep while Dean climbed up beside him after having turned the television so that he could watch cartoons. He picked up a small throw blanket and placed it over Sammy before walking into the kitchen to prepare dinner for him and the boys. It had been a long trip and he knew the boys would soon be hungry. He quickly peeled some potatoes and cooked a batch of homemade fries and broiled some hotdogs to go with them.

As the fries finished cooking, he could hear the sound of loud laughter coming from the living room indicating that Sammy was now awake too. "Come and get it boys" he called out as he grabbed a couple of glasses and a sippy cup from the cupboard for their drinks. Dean helped Sammy climb up into the chair beside him before climbing into one himself as Bobby placed the food in front of them.

"Yay, I love frent fries" Sammy shouted as he clapped his hands. He waited for Bobby to put some ketchup on his plate to dip his fries in and then began to eat.

Bobby smiled at the eagerness of Sammy as he savored the home cooked meal. He cut up the hotdog that was on his plate into small bites to make sure the youngest Winchester wouldn't choke on them. After he had Sammy all set, he looked over towards his big brother and asked "You need any help Dean?" as he saw him making his own hot dog by adding ketchup. mustard, and a healthy dose of onions to the hot dog bun.

"No Sir, I'm good" Dean smiled as he picked up the hotdog and took a large bite. Uncle Bobby's food sure tasted a lot better than the sandwiches, cereal and Spaghettios they had been eating while their dad was gone.

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John sat quietly in the passenger seat of Caleb's mustang as they drove down the highway towards Bobby Singer's place. He reached down absentmindedly to scratch his leg at the top where the cast was irritating his skin. He couldn't wait to see his boys and make sure they were okay with his own eyes. He hated knowing that he had left his boys for far too long on their own. He knew without a doubt that Bobby would have some choice words for him once he got him alone.

"You're awful quiet there Winchester, is something wrong" Caleb asked looking over at the hunter sitting beside him. He wondered if they needed to stop for a little while or possibly over night to allow John to rest.

"No, I was just thinking about my boys" John said as he scrubbed a calloused hand across his weary face. "It's been too long since I've seen them and I just need to make sure they're okay with my own eyes ya know?"

"Yeah, I can understand that. Tell me about those boys of yours, what are the like?" Caleb questioned to take John's mind off of his worries.

"Well Dean's the oldest, he's eight years old and extremely protective of his baby brother Sammy who is four. Dean took after his mom in looks. He has blonde hair and the cutest freckles you ever saw on a kid. Sammy on the other hand took after me with his looks, but he's got a personality that would melt the coldest heart. Where Dean is relatively on the quiet side, Sammy will question you to death about things or talk your ears off. That kid will probably grow up to be a lawyer someday."

"Sounds like a couple of great kids" Caleb stated as he returned his focus to the road.

"Yeah they are. If it hadn't been for them, I probably would have lost my sanity a long time ago. Those boys are the reason I hunt, to keep them safe from the horrors of the world. My oldest Dean knows about what happened to his mother and what I do, but Sammy--he's still innocent and I want to keep things that way for as long as I can." John stated solemnly

"Don't worry, he won't hear anything from me" Caleb stated as his Mustang roared on down the road. If they kept going at the pace they were now, they should be able to make it to Bobby's place in the wee hours of the morning.

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After finishing dinner and washing the dishes, Bobby allowed the boys to go outside and play on the tire swing for a few hours while he kept a close eye on them from the porch. He relished in seeing the smiles that lit up their faces as they giggled in fun. It saddened him to know that they didn't have many chances like this were they could just be little boys having fun. Some days he would just love to kick John Winchester in the ass for the kind of life he was subjecting them too. The boys didn't deserve to grow up in motels or trashy houses like the one they were staying in now.

As darkness descended, he decided to take the boys in the house and have them get ready for bed. He didn't want to take any chances with something possibly making it through the sigils and wards he had in place. "Okay boys, time to get ready for bed" he shouted as he stood up and walked to the bottom of the steps.

"Aw Bobby, can't we play for just a little while longer?" Dean questioned not ready to give up the fun yet.

"Sorry kiddo, but it's getting dark and you know s well as I do that your daddy wouldn't want you boys out after dark. Not only that, but Sammy isn't completely over that cold of his yet so he doesn't need to be out in the night air."

Knowing that his Uncle Bobby was right, Dean took his baby brother by the hand and led him over to Bobby. "Okay Uncle Bobby, we're ready to go in now" Dean stated as he held onto Sammy's hand while he climbed up the steps. Once they were in the house, Dean helped Sammy to take his shoes off while Uncle Bobby went up the stairs to run some bath water for his baby brother.

Digging into Sammy's duffle, Dean pulled out his cough syrup and put it on the counter in the kitchen so Bobby could give him some before they went to bed. "Okay boys, your bath water is ready" he heard Bobby announce as he came back down the stairs. He watched as Uncle Bobby stripped Sammy down and tossed his dirty clothing into the laundry room before carrying him up the stairs.

Dean was just beginning to take his own shoes off when he heard the sounds of splashing and his Uncle Bobby's voice laughing as he said "Now stop that Sammy, the water is supposed to stay in the tub, not splash out all over me." He could hear Sam giggling just before he heard the sound of another huge splash.

Once Dean finally made it up the stairs in just his boxers after having deposited his own dirty clothing into the laundry room, he laughed as he saw the sight of a completely drenched Bobby lifting Sammy out of the tub. "Hey Uncle Bobby, I thought Sammy was the one taking the bath, not you" Dean giggled as Bobby sat his baby brother on the floor to dry him off.

"Somebody should have told him that" Bobby grumbled as he rubbed the towel through Sammy's wet hair. "I swear this kid could make a mess in just a teaspoon full of water." Bobby had just finished running the towel through Sammy's wet hair when he reached over to get another towel to dry his little body giving Sammy the chance to escape out the door.

"Hey, come back here you little rascal" Bobby shouted as he chased Sammy down the hallway and into the boys room where Sammy tried to hide under the blanket on his bed. Bobby stood in the doorway of the room as he asked "Now where could that little rascal be?" He heard the sound of delighted squeals coming from under the blanket and then walked over to the bed and snatched the blanket away from a laughing Sammy.

"Gotcha ya little stinker" Bobby said as he picked the wiggling child up and dried him off completely before helping Sammy into his Transformer pajamas. He carried Sammy back to the bathroom and combed through his hair as Dean took his bath. He as about to carry Sammy back to the boys room when he heard Dean speak up.

"Uncle Bobby, don't forget to give Sammy his cough medicine. He only gets a half teaspoonful I left it on the kitchen counter downstairs for you."

"I'll go give him some now sport" Bobby said as he carried Sammy out of the bathroom.

By the time Dean had finished his bath and dressed in his pajamas, Sammy was laying in the bed and waiting for him so Bobby could read them a bedtime story.

**TBC**


	26. Chapter 26

**A Hard Road Ch. 26**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

**Author's Note: **Dean is 8 and Sammy is 4 in this chapter.

**Thanks to VickyLoka for giving me the kick in the pants that I needed to get this chapter out. **

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Bobby was awakened in the dead of the night by the sound of a car pulling into his driveway. He pulled the loaded pistol of the gun holster he kept hanging on his closet door and silently crept downstairs to await the unwanted intruder. Glancing out the window to determine how many intruders to expect, he breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Caleb climbing out of his '69 Mustang. He watched the hunter walk around the front of his car as the passenger door opened to reveal John Winchester climbing out. Bobby placed his gun in the back of his jeans and then unlocked the door as John precariously climbed the steps on his crutches with Caleb following behind just in case.

Opening the door, Bobby growled "If you weren't on those crutches I would kick your ass from here to hell and back. How dare you leave those two little boys all alone with only Dean to fend for them. Damn it John, the boy is only eight years old. He is too damned young to have so much responsibility placed on his shoulders."

"Bobby, I didn't have a choice. I couldn't just…" John said as he started to defend his actions to the grizzled hunter only to be cut off by him.

"You did have a choice damn it. You could have brought them here to me or took them to Jim's place. Don't you realize how dangerous it was to leave them by themselves you freaking idjit. You could have unwittingly left them at the mercy of any pervert or pedophile within a hundred miles John. It's not just the supernatural creatures out there that you have to worry about when it comes to two small boys."

"Bobby, I understand what you're saying but…"

"No buts about it John, Nothing you say could change the fact that you made one hell of a stupid decision in regards to your boys. Do you realize all it would have taken was for one person to find out that those boys were left alone and you would have lost them forever. CPS could have swooped in and taken those boys and separated them from each other. Do you know what that would have done to Dean? To Sammy?"

"Dean never would have let that happen Bobby. He knew not to answer the door without the secret knock or password. He's more mature than he looks."

"I don't give a damn how mature he is John, he is still only eight years old and doesn't deserve the burden you've placed on his shoulders ya idjit."

"Sammy isn't a burden Uncle Bobby, he's my brother" Dean said as he entered the room suddenly and walked over to hug his father. He had been awakened by the commotion he heard downstairs and decided to investigate. "I'm glad your home daddy. Does your leg hurt?"

"No, it's okay Ace." John answered quickly upon seeing the concern on his son's face. "What in the world are you doing up at this time of night? You should be in the bed asleep sport."

"I heard some people talking so I came down to see who it was." Dean answered with a wide yawn.

"Sorry we woke you up kiddo. Let's get you back to bed." John stated as he took his oldest by the hand to lead him back up the steps.

"Wait a minute dad. I have to ask Uncle Bobby something." Dean said as he turned around to look at the grizzled hunter. "Why would you say Sammy is a burden Uncle Bobby? He's not a problem for me. I like taking care of him."

Kneeling down in front of Dean, Bobby said "I didn't mean it that way sport. I just meant it is not fair to you that you can't go out and play like the other little kids because you are too busy having to take care of Sammy."

"But that's what big brothers do Uncle Bobby, they take care of their little brothers and make sure they're happy." Dean explained

"Yeah, I guess you're right there kiddo" Bobby replied as he mussed Dean's hair. "I won't call Sammy a burden again. Now why don't you go on up the stairs with your daddy and get some sleep."

"Yes sir" Dean replied as he walked back up the steps slowly with his father. He really was tired and besides, he didn't want Sammy to wake up all alone in their room and be scared.

Walking into the room, John stripped out of his jeans as he watched Dean climb into the bed. "Scoot over sport, Daddy is sleeping with you and Sammy tonight." John said needing to be close to both of his boys. Once Dean had made room for him, John leaned over and kissed both of his boys on the forehead before pulling the blanket up and over the three of them and shutting off the lamp to go to sleep.

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The next morning John was awakened by squeals of delight as Sammy woke up to find his daddy home. John opened his eyes just in time to see his youngest sailing towards him and caught him just in time to keep Sammy from landing hard on his chest. "Hey there tiger, did you miss me huh?" John asked as he pushed himself up in the bed and hugged Sammy to his chest.

"Uh huh! Where have you been daddy? I misseded you so much." Sammy replied as he flung his arms around John's neck.

"I missed you so much too tiger" John said with a grin as he enjoyed this special bonding time with his baby boy. Sammy was growing up entirely too fast for John's liking and he wished time would slow down to a crawl so he could enjoy being with his boys while they were still young.

"Daddy, what happened wif your leg?" Sammy questioned as his eyes landed on the off white cast that adorned John's leg. "Did you get an owie?"

"Yep, I sure did, a mighty big one." John retorted as he lay Sammy down on the bed and proceeded to tickle his little boy unmercifully.

"No 'top Daddy" Sammy giggled as he tried to bat John's hands away. It sure did feel good to have his daddy home again.

"Okay, well how about we both get your brother then." John said as he and Sammy both launched a tickle attack on Dean who had just woken up himself. Dean began to laugh hysterically as he did his best to try and escape the hands that were now ticking him on. He could take being tickled anywhere but on the bottom of his sensitive feet.

John played well into the morning with both of his boys until Bobby called them down for lunch. As the smell of bacon wafted up the steps, he said "Come on boys, it smells like your Uncle Bobby is making BLT's for lunch." He led his boys to the small bathroom on the second floor where he helped them to wash up for lunch. After the Winchester threesome washed their faces and hands, they arrived in the kitchen to find Bobby placing some chips on each plate to go with the sandwiches.

"John, why don't you fill some glasses with iced tea so we'll all have something to drink" Bobby stated as he placed the food laden plates on the table.

"Sure thing Bobby." John replied as he reached into the cupboard and pulled out three plastic glasses and Sammy's favorite sippy cup. Pouring the iced tea into the glasses, John asked "So where's Caleb this morning?" as he glanced around to notice the other hunter missing.

"He's taking a shower in the spare bathroom." Bobby replied as he picked up Sammy and placed him in his booster seat. The words had no sooner left his mouth when Caleb came strolling into the kitchen wearing a pair of black jeans and a black t-shirt. He walked over to the table and plopped himself down in a chair before asking "So where's mine?"

"Waiting for you to make it." Bobby replied with a pointed look daring the younger hunter to say anything. He was old enough to fix a sandwich for himself and he wasn't suffering from a broken leg like John was.

"Damn it Bobby, that's not fair." Caleb complained sullenly as he watched the others munching on their own sandwiches before pushing away from the table to star a skillet of bacon frying.

"Oooohhh, him said da bad word." Sammy gasped as he covered his little mouth with his hands. "Daddy you needs to give him a spanking."

John and Bobby both burst out laughing upon hearing Sammy's remark, especially when they looked over towards Caleb to see him now sporting a pink tinge on his face from embarrassment at having been reprimanded by a four year old.

"Why's you laughing daddy?" Sammy questioned innocently as he picked up a piece of the sandwich Bobby had cut into small sections for him and popped it into his mouth.

"Because grown ups don't get spanking Sammy." Dean replied for his father. "They're too big so that means that the man needs to put a dollar in the swear jar."

"The swear jar?" John asked questioningly as he looked at Bobby with his eye brows raised wondering when that had come about.

"Don't look at me. It was the boys idea. They decided that with as much cursing as we hunters seem to do, they could earn enough money to go to the circus when it comes to town next week." Bobby replied as he pointed to the jar on the counter that now contained at least ten dollars of his own money. Sammy had caught him cursing more than once as he worked on an old vehicle with Sammy playing nearby so he could keep an eye on him.

"Well I'll be damned," John said impressed with his children's ingenuity. He suddenly heard the sounds of Dean's giggling and questioned him as to what was so funny.

"You just said a bad word too." Dean said "Time to pay up."

John just shook his head as he reached into his pocket. Looks like he would be taking his boys to the circus next week.

**TBC **_**Will the boys be able to wrap Caleb around their fingers as easy as they have the other hunters? Find out in the next chapter.**_


	27. Chapter 27

**A Hard Road Ch. 27**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

**Author's Note: **Dean is 8 and Sammy is 4 in this chapter.

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**Previously: **_John just shook his head as he reached into his pocket to add another dollar to the swear jar. Looks like he would be taking his boys to the circus next week._

As Caleb sat down with the others at the table to eat lunch, Sammy looked over at him with a quizzical look on his face. He had never met this man before but he must be okay to talk to since his daddy and Uncle Bobby knew him. "Daddy, what him name?" Sammy questioned as he pointed a finger at the man wearing black and sitting across from him.

"That's Caleb Sammy, he's a hunter too. He helped take care of me when I got hurt." John explained with a smile.

Climbing down off of his chair and walking over towards Caleb, Sammy smiled at him and reached out his arms to be picked up.

Caleb's face paled as he looked at the youngster who was holding his arms out to him unsure of what to do. He glanced at Bobby with imploring eyes to do something.

"He want's you to hold him ya idgit, pick him up, the kid doesn't bite." Bobby stated as he rolled his eyes. Caleb was supposed to be a mighty hunter and here he was, scared to death of a four year old.

Reaching down timidly, Caleb pulled the little brown haired boy up into his lap. He was surprised as Sammy squirmed around until he was on his knees and facing him. He was totally floored in the next moment as Sammy wrapped his arms around his neck and gave him a tight squeeze.

"T'ank you for helping my daddy." Sammy stated with childlike innocence squeezing Caleb's neck as tight as he could. "You's berry, berry nice."

"Ah, you're welcome little bit." Caleb replied as he returned the hug. "Glad I was there to help." Caleb started to put Sammy down when he heard the little one say "No. I wants to sit wif you." He stopped lowering Sammy to the floor and placed him on his lap as John and Bobby both smirked while Dean transferred Sammy's plate of food to where he was now sitting.

"Caught…hook, line, and sinker." Dean replied before walking back to his own seat.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Caleb questioned wondering what the older child had meant with his words.

"He means Sammy now has you wrapped around his little finger too. Ain't none of can resist the kid and those puppy dog eyes of his, even Joshua." Bobby replied with a shrug."

"You're kidding me right, I mean Joshua is a bear of a man. There is no way he would melt…" Caleb trailed off as Joshua picked that exact time to come walking into the room.

"Did somebody say my name?" he questioned as he watched everyone turn to face him.

"Unca Josh" Sammy squealed a he pushed himself out of Caleb's lap and went running over to the six foot five bear of a man.

"Hey tiger, how's my little man?" Joshua asked as he scooped Sammy up and swung him around in the air. "I sure missed you kiddo, you and that brother of yours.

"Me's fine Unca Josh, me and my Deanie is gonna play wif da army men later. Will you play wif us too?"

"You betcha tiger, wouldn't miss that for the world." Joshua replied as he walked over and sat down at the table reaching for Sammy's plate. "But first you gotta eat squirt so you can get big and strong like me."

"Otay" Sammy said as he reached out to take a chunk of the sandwich his daddy had cut up for him and placed it in his mouth.

"I seen it, but I don't believe it." Caleb stated as he started at Joshua and Sammy with his mouth totally agape. "I mean Joshua the badass hunter brought down by a little tyke.

"Uh, that's another dollar you owe to the swear jar." Dean replied with a laugh knowing they would have more than enough money to go to the circus.

"Swear jar?" Joshua questioned with hi seyebrows raised.

"It was something the boys came up with. Any time one of us curses, we have to add a dollar to the swear jar. They boys are going to use the money to go to the circus." Bobby replied nonchalantly.

"Might as well go ahead and put a twenty in for me then." Joshua replied wanting to make his own contribution to the boys having a little fun. And if the boys will let me go, I'll add another twenty so we can all get some popcorn and cotton candy."

"Yay" cheered Sammy as he clapped his hands in glee. They were all going to have so much fun.

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Later that week the Winchesters, Bobby, Joshua and Caleb all entered the flap of the big circus tent to see bleachers filled with people waiting for the show to begin. John found a place for them all to sit and the walked over taking their position in the third row of seats. John placed Sammy between him and Joshua while Dean sat between him and Bobby.

As the Circus Master took center ring and started the show, Sammy and Dean sat amazed by the big elephant that was brought into the tent. The watched as the elephant stood up on it's rear leg and trumpeted it's sound. "Wow, that's awesome" stated Dean as he watched the elephant perform it's multitude of tricks. Next came the lion tamer as he worked with a leopard inside a cage. Dean sat spell bound as he watched the man putting the leopard through it's tricks while protecting himself at the same time. Sammy however scooted closer to his father since the leopard scared him a little. He breathed easy as he felt his daddy's arm wrap around him and squeeze him gently.

"You okay Sammy?" John questioned as he glanced down at his little boy. If Sammy became too scared, he would carry the little boy out leaving the others to enjoy the show.

"Uh huh, I's otay daddy." Sammy replied with a smile as he watched the tightrope act begin. He was captivated by the way they walked across the little rope using only a pole to keep their balance. He gasped as he saw the man's foot slip, but then applauded with everyone else when he caught his balance and began walking again. "Yay, he did it, he did it." Sammy cheered as the tightrope walker finally made it to the other end of the rope.

John smiled as he watched his boys being flabbergasted by the sights of the circus. He loved watching the smiles that lit up their young faces each time something new and amazing occurred. He couldn't remember having a better time in his life and his only regret was that Mary wasn't there to see it. He was drawn from his musings as the next act began and the boys watched a variety of acrobats doing incredible feats of tumbling.

Announcing that there would be a fifteen minute break for the next act to set up, the ringmaster called out the clowns to keep the audience entertained until the human cannonball act was ready. _"Ah, this ought to be fun." _John thought knowing how silly clowns could be. His boys ought to love them.

"Look Sammy, here comes the clowns." Dean said as he pointed off to the far side of the tent with a huge grin on his face. He loved clowns ever since they had come to his school once to put on a little show. He watched as the clowns began to climb out of the tiny car. And then laughed as they kept on coming. How in the world could they fit ten clowns in such a little car.

Sammy shied away a little as he saw the clowns with their painted on faces wondering why they looked so funny. "It's okay kiddo, they won't hurt you." John whispered as they watched the clowns trying to ride unicycles only to fall over on their behinds. Seeing another amusing sight, he pointed Sammy's attention to the three clowns being chased around by the small poodle who kept barking at them and nipping their heels. Sammy laughed as he watched the clowns jumping and running from such a little doggy. Hearing his brother laughing extremely loud, he looked towards the area where Dean was now watching. He saw one clown using a sword to spank another clown on it's behind. He laughed as the clown jumped up into the air and grabbed his hiney and took of running. He saw the clowns coming closer to them as the sword clown spanked the other one again causing him to giggle even more.

The whole audience began to laugh as the spankee clown sought refuge within the audience. They watched as he began to duck away from jabs thrown his way by hiding behind the men or children in the audience. Rubbing it in, the spanked clown would stick out his tongue and make funny faces at the clown who was trying to catch him. "Dean, dem's funny." Sammy said as he watched the clown putting his fingers in his ear in a taunting manner and waggling them at the other.

Soon, the clowns came over by them and the hunters laughed as the spanked clown started popping in and out between them. "I'm too fast, you can catch me." the clown taunted in a sing song voice as he stood behind John.

"Oh yeah?" the other clown taunted as he suddenly thrust the collapsible sword forward making it appear to sink deep into John's chest.

Sammy screamed in horror as he watched the sword go in and a red stain appear on his daddy's chest. "No, no, no, him killed my daddy." Sammy screamed as he threw himself into Joshua's arms trembling violently.

"No Sammy, he didn't hurt your daddy." Joshua cooed into the child's ear as he tried to get him to calm down to no avail as Sammy's screams and sobs grew louder.

"Oh shit, I didn't mean to scare the little guy." stated the clown as he wrung his hands in nervousness. He wasn't thinking when he had pulled the sword and ketchup stunt by a child who was too little to understand what was going on.

"Sammy, hey, I'm okay." John repeated over and over as he rubbed Sammy's back trying to get him to look at him. "Daddy's right here baby, please don't cry. Please look at me son."

The whole audience grew deathly quiet as they watched the scene unfolding before them. Their hearts broke for the little boy as he held a death grip on the man in his arms refusing to look away from his neck where he had his face snuggled into.

"Let's get the hell out of here." stated John as the hunters stood as one and left the tent with Joshua holding on tightly to the screaming and sobbing child in his arms. Once outside, John continued trying to sooth Sammy without any success until Joshua kneeled down at Dean's vehement request.

As Dean wrapped his small arms around Sammy's trembling back, he began to softly sing. _"I'm back in black. I hit the sack, I've been too long, I'm glad to be back" _The hunters watched with bated breath to see if Dean could get his little brother to calm down. As Dean continued to sing, the screaming slowly subsided and Sammy began to loosen his grip and eventually turned to face Dean with tears streaming down his face.

Seeing the shattered look held in Sammy's eyes, Dean reached out and took his baby brother into his arms as he cooed in his ear. "Shh, it's alright Sammy, daddy's not hurt, I promise." as he rocked his baby brother back and forth. Sammy took in some hiccupping breaths as he looked into Dean eyes with his own tear filled ones. "You pwomise Deanie?"

"I promise Sammy, look." Dean replied as he pointed to John who had removed the ketchup stained shirt to keep Sammy from being scared even worse.

"I'm alright kiddo, that clown didn't hurt me. That sword wasn't real. He just put ketchup on my shirt baby." John said as he reached out for his youngest child. It took a few minutes, but Sammy finally relinquished his hold on Dean and flew into his daddy's arms.

"I no like clowns no more. I wanna go home." Sammy cried with tear filled eyes as he clung to his father's neck.

"Okay baby, we'll go home now." John stated as he picked Sammy up and carried him to the car with the others quietly following.

**TBC **_**I hope I did Sammy's fear of clowns justice.**_


	28. Chapter 28

**A Hard Road Ch. 28**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything recognizable in this story. Nor am I making a profit from it.

**Author's Note: **Dean is 8 and Sammy is 4 in this chapter.

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**Previously: **_"I no like clowns no more. I wanna go home." Sammy cried with tear filled eyes as he clung to his father's neck. _

"_Okay baby, we'll go home now." John stated as he picked Sammy up and carried him to the car with the others quietly following._

As the small group arrived back at the Impala and John tried to place Sammy in his car seat, his youngest clung to his neck in terror as he trembled violently in his arms. "No daddy no." he sobbed as he tightened his hold with a deathlike grip. Glancing over towards Bobby with a forlorn look, he tossed him the keys and said, "I guess you're driving back." There was no way he was going to force Sammy to sit in his carseat when he was still so upset, the kid was already traumatized enough as it was.

The ride back to Singer Salvage yard was somewhat tense as each hunter sat consumed with guilt and worry for young Sammy. The child had finally cried himself to sleep in John's arms, but it was obvious the sleep was far from restful by the hitching breaths he took every few minutes. They could only sit by helplessly and pray that no nightmares took hold, assaulting even his unconscious mind.

_"This is all my fault."_ thought Joshua silently as he stared solemnly out the window. "If I hadn't placed forty dollars into the swear jar, maybe the boys wouldn't have made enough money to go to the circus. _How could I have been so damned stupid?"_ Unbeknownst to him, John and Bobby were also blaming themselves for what happened. John was blaming himself for bringing the boys to the circus in the first place and Bobby for not knowing what the clowns were up to and then for not moving quickly enough to shield Sammy once he realized what was happening.

"Daddy is Sammy going to be okay?" Dean asked breaking the uncomfortable silence that had overtaken the car.

"He will be Dean, he will be." John lamented with a sigh as he ran a hand up and down Sammy's back. "He's probably going to be pretty upset and clingy for a while. We'll have to make sure he gets all the love and attention he needs over the next few days."

"You can count on him getting it from all of us John, we'll all be glad to help in any way we can." Joshua informed the hunter who had become like a brother to him. "Sammy's needs will come first no matter what."

"Thanks, I have no doubt I'm going to need all of the help I can get." John replied knowing the next few days were going to be rough, not to mention the fact that they were all probably going to have a sleepless night tonight.

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Upon arriving back at Singer Salvage, John tried to place a sleeping Sammy on the couch only for his youngest to wake up and start clinging to him once again. He sighed as he hoisted Sammy onto his side and followed Bobby and the others into the kitchen. Pulling out a chair, he sat down and placed Sammy on his lap as he reached out to take the cup of coffee being offered by Caleb. "Thanks man." he said as he took a sip of the steaming hot brew and placed it on the table out of Sammy's reach.

"Figured you might need it after, you know…" Caleb said as he poured himself a cup of the strong black java.

"Things sure did go to hell in a hand basket quick didn't they." Bobby stated rather than questioned as he ran a hand over the course hairs of his beard. "Who the hell would have thought that a day at the circus could turn out to be such a disaster."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Sammy was giggling one minute and then screaming in terror the next. I still can't believe I allowed that to happen. I should have known…" Joshua said with disgust only to be cut off by John.

"Josh, there's no way you could have known what those clowns were going to do. It's nobody's fault but theirs for being stupid enough to pull such a stunt in front of a small kid like Sammy."

"I know you're right John. It's just that I feel guilty for not having protected him from that." Joshua responded to his close friend.

"Hell Josh, we all feel that way." Grumbled Bobby as he took a sip of his own coffee. "But since it's happened, we'll just have to deal with the ramifications and hope that they pass quickly."

Deciding that he and Sammy didn't need to hear what the adults were talking about, Dean walked over and reached out his arms for his little brother. "Come on Sammy, let's go watch cartoons while daddy and the others talk." He saw the way his baby brother struggled with deciding what to do and decided to up the ante. "I'll even let you pick the cartoon Sammy. Please tiger, I don't want to watch to watch them by myself cause it isn't any fun without you."

John held his breath as he watched his baby debate with himself what to do. Sammy hadn't been out of his arms since the incident happened and he was beginning to wonder if he would have to sleep in the recliner tonight with Sammy held in his arms. He smiled in relief as he saw Sammy nod his acceptance and go willingly into Dean's arms. Maybe things were going to get just a little bit better.

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Approximately an hour later as John and the others began to prepare dinner, they could hear the sounds of laughter coming from Bobby's living room as Dean and Sammy became engrossed by the antics of the Tom and Jerry cartoon they were watching.

"That sure does sound good doesn't it?" Joshua asked as he nodded his head towards the happy sound coming from the other room. After so much crying earlier, it did his heart good to hear the sounds of Sammy's giggles.

"Can't think of anything I'd rather hear." John replied with a grin as he prepared the macaroni and cheese that Sammy liked so well while Bobby cooked the hotdogs.

They had just set the table and were getting ready to call the boys to come eat when Sammy's screams once again filled the air. Dropping the pot of macaroni and cheese onto the table, John rushed into the living room with Bobby and the others following him to find Sammy violently trembling in Dean's arms.

"What the hell?" John questioned as he walked over and sat by his boys immediately rubbing a soothing hand up and down Sammy's back as his youngest buried his face into the crook of Dean's neck.

"Ronald McDonald" was Dean's obvious answer as he began to rock his baby brother back and forth.

John glanced over to the television to see a commercial for McDonald's playing with the big clown dressed in yellow touting the value of the hamburger happy meal. "Happy meal my…" John's voice faded off as he reached over and pulled a sobbing Sammy from Dean's arms and cradled him to his chest as he placed a feather light kiss on top of his hair.

Grabbing his jacket, John wrapped it around Sammy and carried him outside to sit on the porch swing. As they swung, John thought about what Mary would do in a situation like this. And suddenly the answered hit him as if it had been whispered into his ear. _"He needs a lullaby John. Remember the one I used to sing, the one that caught Dean's ear when we watched the Disney movie Dumbo." _Closing his eyes, John remembered the lyrics that Mary had used to quiet Dean so many times and he began to softly sing.

_Baby mine, don't you cry  
__Baby mine, dry your eyes  
Rest your head close to my heart  
Never to part, baby of mine_

_Little one when you play  
Don't you mind what they say  
Let those eyes sparkle and shine  
Never a tear, baby of mine _

As he continued to sing, John could hear Sam's wails tapering off and his trembles starting to cease as Sammy relaxed into his arms. Soon, he felt another weight against him and opened his eyes to see Dean leaning on him as he softly rubbed Sammy's back. Lifting an arm to wrap around Dean's shoulder, John said, "Don't worry kiddo, Sammy's going to be alright." He pulled Dean in close as the three of them swung together quietly in the evening air.

Approximately an hour later, John carried a sleeping Sammy back inside the house with Dean following. "I'm going to take him upstairs and get him ready for bed." John whispered to the others before kicking off his shoes and heading up the steps. Entering the boys room, he unwrapped his jacket from around a sleeping Sammy and threw it over the back of the rocking chair sitting in the corner of the room.

Walking over to one of the beds in the room, he gently lay Sammy down and then pulled off his shoes and jeans. He sighed as he noticed that Sam had been lightly sucking on his thumb since he thought he had finally broken that habit over six months ago. "Guess I can't begrudge you that little comfort this time." he whispered as lightly ruffled Sammy's hair.

After getting Sammy settled, he turned around to see that Dean had gotten himself ready for bed, "In you go champ." he said as he lifted the covers for Dean to crawl in beside Sammy so that he could have Dean's bed tonight. He wanted to be close just in case his youngest suffered a nightmare during the night. He bent down to kiss both of his boys goodnight and then shucked off his own jeans before climbing into bed. He reached over to turn out the light only to be stopped by Dean.

"Hey dad, don't you think we better use a nightlight tonight. If Sammy wakes up and can't see anything he's gonna freak."

"Yeah, I guess you're right there sport." John replied as he climbed out of his bed and ruffled through the drawers on the stand hoping Bobby hadn't thrown away the one that Sammy used to use when they were younger. Smiling in satisfaction, he pulled out the Transformer nightlight and plugged it in to find the comforting glow before once again climbing into bed and shutting off the light. As he lay there on his side, he watched his boys in silence until his eyes grew droopy and he himself faded off to sleep only to be awoken a few hours later by the sounds of Sammy's screams.

**TBC**


	29. Chapter 29

**A Hard Road Ch. 29**

**Disclaimer. **Still don't own them and still not making a profit from my stories.

**Warning: **Language as usual

**Author's Note: **Sorry, I let this one slip by the wayside once again. Thanks to VickyLoka for reminding me that I needed to update. At this point in the story, Sammy is 4 and Dean is 8.

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**Review of previous chapter **_The hunters had went to the circus for some fun with the boys where Sammy was later severely traumatized by a clown who pretended to stab his father. As the Winchester's went to bed, John knew that his youngest would be assaulted by nightmares of the incident._

Early the next morning, all of the hunters sat around the table looking bleary eyed as they sipped on cups of hot, black coffee while talking in hushed voices to keep from waking the boys after a stressful night. Sammy had finally gone to sleep around five in the morning and had slept for three consecutive hours now after having woke up screaming almost every hour for most of the night.

As he glanced around the table at Joshua, Caleb, and Bobby, John felt a little guilty looking at their sleep deprived faces. "I'm sorry you guys, I should have taken the boys and gotten a motel room last night since I knew Sammy was probably going to have nightmares after what happened.

"Don't be sorry John, it's not your fault or Sammy's either. The kid couldn't help having nightmares after what he witnessed. Besides, I probably wouldn't have got any sleep at all if you had left from wondering and worrying about the little tiger." Bobby stated as he rubbed a hand over his weary face.

He's right John, so you can just let go of the guilt. It's not yours to carry." Joshua stated matter of fact like as he clapped the hunter on the shoulder with his right hand. "Whether you realize it or not, you and the boys are family to us now and families stick together. Now we just have to figure out a way of making the little man forget about the clowns by giving him something else to focus on and I think I have the perfect thing. What do you all think about a camping trip to my cabin near the lake for some fishing? There's a nice playground right beside the lake where Dean and Sammy could play while we try to catch some fish." Josh informed the group hoping to persuade them to accept his idea.

"Damn Josh, you been holding out on me? Caleb inquired with a raised eye brow. "I never knew you owned a cabin, and by a lake no less."

"Yeah well, not many people do." Joshua stated with a shrug of his shoulders. Most people didn't have a clue about the fact that he came from an affluent family and didn't have to worry about money and he liked it that way.

"Sounds like a good idea to me, what do you think John? It could get Sammy's mind off of the clowns and give him something happy to focus on." Bobby explained.

"Yeah, I think you're right. Let's do it." John stated with a tired smile willing to try anything if it would get rid of the nightmares.

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Later that afternoon, the Winchesters set out in the Impala with Bobby riding shotgun as they followed Joshua and Caleb in Joshua's truck. John had packed up all of his gear figuring that once the weekend was over, that he and the boys would be moving on. He had finally gotten the cast off of his leg and figured they had intruded on Bobby way too much lately. He hadn't told the boys or Bobby yet not wanting to put a damper on the weekend. He just hoped they would take the news well when it came time to leave.

Glancing into the rearview mirror, he was happy to see that Dean was keeping Sammy occupied while they played with the Spiderman action figures that Joshua had bought them. It made his heart soar to hear the sounds of laughter coming from the backseat as Dean allowed Sammy to win the battle the action figures were waging. Looking over towards Bobby, he saw the older hunter sleeping with his head resting against the window. He couldn't begrudge him the rest after the sleepless night they had all had, he was thankful the hunter was actually getting some sleep finally.

Focusing on the road ahead, he saw Joshua pull off on the exit ramp heading towards Lake Metigoshe. He was somewhat impressed knowing the place had a reputation for being very peaceful and serene, just what they needed for the next few days. Winding their way down a gravel road, John whistled in appreciation of the cabin where Joshua had finally stopped, well actually the cabin looked more like a house because of the sheer size of it.

Parking the sleek, black Impala beside Joshua's truck, he shook Bobby to wake him up and then opened his own door so he could help Sammy out of his carseat. He heard squeals of delight the minute his youngest spotted the playground right beside the cabin and had trouble holding Sammy in his arms as his youngest began to wiggle and squirm, desperate to go play. Placing him down on the ground, John said, "Dean go watch out for your brother." as he watched his youngest run over to the slides.

Walking back to the trunk, he pulled out their duffle bags and followed Joshua and the others up the front steps and into the cabin. Turning around to glance at his boys once more, he scanned the surrounding area for any signs of possible danger before walking inside the cabin. "Josh, where do you want me to place our things?" John asked as he looked around the room they were now standing in.

The room had a very cozy look to it with a sofa and recliner off to his right and a fire place with a bear skin rug off to his left. He could see a rather large entertainment center that sat against one wall with a television in the middle of it and a gaming console on a shelf just below it. The side shelves were covered with movies and what he assumed were games.

Seeing John's surprised look at the games and movies, Joshua said "My sister and her family like to use the cabin for their summer vacation, so I made sure they had some things to keep the children occupied on rainy days. As far as where you and the boys will be staying, I figure you and the boys can stay in the room over there." Joshua nodded to the right with his head. "It has a set of bunk beds and a queen sized bed so there is plenty of room for you and the boys to sleep."

"Sounds good." John said as he took his and the boys things to their room and started putting them away while Joshua showed Caleb and Bobby where they would be staying. Hearing the sounds of laughter, John peaked out the window in the room to see Dean pushing his baby brother in the swing. He smiled as he stood there and watched the boys taking in the wonderful sight before him. _"I wish I could give them the normal life they deserve." _He thought wistfully as he watched them at play.

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After getting settled in, Joshua started dinner while John called his boys inside to take a bath. Stripping Sammy of his clothing, he placed him in the tub allowing him some time to play and then washed him as Sammy talked about everything that he had done outside. Seeing Sammy back to his little chatterbox self gave John the confidence to think that just maybe, his baby would have a peaceful night tonight. Finishing up with bathing him, John pulled Sammy out of the tub and carried him to the bedroom to dress him so Dean could take a shower.

Carrying Sammy into the kitchen, John noticed Joshua placing a hearty meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, creamed corn and a salad on the table for dinner. "You need any help Josh?" he asked as he placed Sammy on the booster seat that belonged to one of Joshua's nephews.

"Nah, I've got it covered." Josh stated as he placed a plate at each person's seat. Why don't you go ahead and fix a plate for you and Sammy and I'll get the others." While Joshua left to get Caleb and Bobby, John took care of fixing a plate for himself and both of his boys. Once the others were seated with plates of their own, the hunters began to discuss what they planned to do the next day.

"If it's okay with everybody, I was thinking maybe we could take the boat out into the middle of the lake and do some fishing." Josh said just before taking a bite of his chicken.

"What about the boys?" John asked in concern. "Dean knows how to swim but I haven't taught Sammy yet and I'm not so sure about taking him out into the middle of a lake."

"You don't have to worry about that John." Joshua stated with a smile. "I have a life jacket that will fit him and the boys can use my nephews fishing poles. Hell, with our luck, I bet those two will catch more fish than the rest of us combined."

"Please dad, can we go out in the boat too?" Dean pleaded with his father. "Sammy and I have never been on a boat ride before. I promise I'll keep a real close eye on him and make sure he doesn't fall out."

"I know you will sport." John said as he ruffled his oldest child's hair. "If you promise to wear a life jacket too just in case, then I guess it's okay with me."

"Yes sir, I promise." Dean said with a huge smile on his face. Looking excitedly at his baby brother, he said, "Guess what Sammy, we are going on a boat ride tomorrow.

"Yay." Sammy cheered as he raised his hand and brought them down right into the middle of his mashed potatoes, causing the spuds to fly everywhere.

"Sammy, be careful." Dean scolded as he grabbed a napkin and began cleaning his baby brother up. "You're supposed to eat the taters, not wear them."

"But I is eating them Deanie, see?" Sammy stated as he opened his mouth to show Dean the food inside.

"Ew Sammy, how many times do I have to tell you not to talk with your mouth full?" Dean questioned as he rolled his eyes at his little brothers antics causing the hunters around the table to laugh.

"Don't worry Dean, he'll learn table manners one day." John informed his oldest. He just needs to grow up a little first."

"Yeah I know dad." Dean answered with a smile secretly wishing that Sammy could stay little forever. He didn't want him to learn about the bad stuff out there in the dark.

Once they had finished their dinner, John allowed his boys to play the gaming console for a little while before announcing that it was time for bed. He just hoped that Sammy would have a good night tonight.

**TBC**


	30. Chapter 30

**A Hard Road Ch. 30**

**Disclaimer. **Still don't own them and still not making a profit from my stories.

**Warning: **Language as usual

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**Previously: **_Once they had finished their dinner, John allowed his boys to play the gaming console for a little while before announcing that it was time for bed. He just hoped that Sammy would have a good night tonight._

Early the next morning, the hunters were in pretty good spirits. Sammy had only awakened once during the night screaming in terror that the clowns were after him, but Dean had been able to calm him down relatively quickly. Afterwards, it only took John thirty minutes of placing the floor to get his youngest back to sleep while cuddled to his chest.

After they all ate breakfast, Lucky Charms at the insistence of the boys, they started packing up the gear that they would need for their little fishing expedition. As Joshua got the poles, Caleb checked the tackle boxes to make sure they had all the required spinners and lures. Sure he wanted a day of fun, but he actually wanted to catch some fish too and he knew how important having the right equipment was.

While Joshua and Caleb were busy gathering their gear, John and Bobby ran to the local store to buy some bait. It would be easier for the boys to use worms and crickets than to try the fancy spinners that Caleb was so fond of using. As they made their way back, John shivered as something fleeting flashed across his mind. "Bobby, I'm not so sure about this, what if something were to happen?" John said as he chewed on his bottom lip. He didn't know why the idea of taking the boys out on a boat was making him nervous, but it did.

"Don't worry Johnny, the boys are going to have fun. Besides, they'll be wearing life jackets so what could possibly happen?" Bobby stated hoping to relieve John's fears. He knew how overprotective John could be of his boys and he didn't want them to miss out on such a fun experience.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." John said as he tried to shake off the bad feeling. His boys needed a fun filled day and he had no right to keep them from it just because he had a bad feeling, it was just him being silly right? Surely Bobby was right and nothing would happen. They would have an uneventful day of catching fish and having fun.

Arriving back at the cabin, they met up with the others and started to traverse the path that led down to the lake. The path was bumpy and filled with rocks causing Sammy to stumble a couple of times. When he nearly fell the third time, John hoisted his youngest up onto his hip and carried him the rest of the way. _"Maybe this was what I was worried about, Sammy falling and getting hurt."_ John though to himself hopefully. Pushing his fears out of his mind, he kept a watchful eye on Dean and continued walking along the path until they finally made it to the lake.

The hunters watched as Joshua walked along the dock and then climbed aboard a Suncruiser Sport Deck 220 Luxury Cruiser. Caleb whistled in appreciation of the fishing boat that boasted a two hundred horse power outboard motor, a twelve person seating capacity, and a sun/sport deck that would be perfect to fish from. The sleek white boat had racing flames that adorned the side and a small cabined area for if the boys got too hot while out in the sun. "Damn Josh, why didn't you inform us about this little beauty before." Caleb asked as he brushed his hand along the side.

"Never thought about it honestly." Josh answered with a smile. "Well what are all waiting for? Climb aboard so we can get this fishing expedition under way." Once everybody was aboard and John and Bobby put life jackets on the boys, Joshua started the engine to take them out into the middle of the lake.

"Wow, this is fun isn't it Sammy?" Dean questioned, his arm held tightly around his little brother as they sat on their seat.

"Uh huh" Sammy said as his wide eyes took in the sights around him. He was a little bit afraid because of how fast the boat was going, but he didn't want Dean to think he was a scaredy cat.

Feeling the slight trembles in his brothers shoulders, Dean called out, "Hey Josh can we go a little bit slower, I'm getting a little motion sickness here."

"Sure Dean, sorry about that." Joshua answered as he eased off on the throttle upset with himself for not thinking about how the motion of the boat could affect the boys.

"You okay son?" John questioned as he turned his eyes towards Dean. "We can go back if you're not feeling well Ace."

"Nah, I'm okay dad." Dean answered as he nodded his head toward Sammy who still sat wide eyed snuggled into Dean's side.

Understanding the point Dean was trying to get across, John walked over and whispered something to Joshua who throttled back a little more upon learning the youngest Winchester was a little afraid. John watched as Sammy took a deep breath and then became animated as he started pointing things out to Dean. He smiled knowing his youngest was now finally enjoying the boat ride.

Once Joshua got to a predetermined spot in the lake, he turned the engine off and allowed them to float as they began to set up the poles. Pulling a small blue one out of the cabin area with Scooby Doo on the reel, he handed it over to Sammy. "Here you go squirt, this one is perfect for you."

I's not a squirt, I's a big boy." Sammy glowered with his hands on his hips before accepting the pole with a smile.

"Oh, sorry there little man." Josh grinned as he handed over another small pole to Dean with a wink that belonged to his ten year old nephew. He began to get the rest of heir gear while John and Bobby took care of getting the boys all set.

As Dean casted his pole out into the water, John helped Sammy to cast his. He placed a small bobber on the line and told Sammy that he was to yank the pole up if the bobber raised up and hit his pole.

"Otay daddy, I get the big fish for you." Sammy said confidently as he watched the small yellow and red bobber intently. No fish was going to get away from him.

"Yeah, you probably will tiger." John said with a smile. Sammy definitely wasn't lacking in the confidence area.

After both boys were taken care of, the hunters all grabbed their own poles and began to fish themselves, each wondering when they had last had such a relaxing time. John was just fixing to cast his line out into the water again when he heard a small gasp and then a squeal coming from his youngest.

"I gots one daddy, I gots a fish." Sammy shouted as he jerked on his pole like his daddy told him too. John quickly walked over and stood behind Sammy as he helped him to reel in the fish. Once it was close enough, he reached the net down into the water and scooped it up, miling at the nice sized bass.

"Wow Sammy, you've caught a whopper." John stated as he held the fish up for everyone to see.

"Way to go Sammy." Dean cheered as he patted Sammy on the back before returning his attention to his own pole. He was secretly happy that Sammy caught the first fish cause that would give him bragging rights when the fist stories started.

Sixty minutes later, they had caught ten fish and decided to take a break and eat some of the sandwiches Bobby had packed for their afternoon of fun. They were so involved in pulling out the food that they didn't notice the two boats that were racing up on their blindside. As Sammy and Dean were carrying their sandwiches and soda over to sit on the sundeck, Joshua heard the full throttled sound of a boat that sounded as if it was passing by pretty close. Looking up, he saw two boats racing with what looked to be young boys at the wheel. "Son of a bitch." He shouted as theboat turned at the last minute avoiding a collision but causing his boat to start rocking violently

Hearing the panic in Joshua's voice, Dean quickly pushed Sammy down to keep him safe just as the boat lurched with a vengeance knocking him from his feet. As he was thrown forward, his head collided with the side of the boat and he fell out into the water.

"Oh God, Dean" screamed John as he watched his oldest disappear from view before he himself was thrown backwards from the force the waves were putting on the boat. Pushing himself to his feet in the violently rocking boat, he saw Joshua dive over the side where Dean had just disappeared. He moved as quickly as he could to the side of the boat and saw Joshua swimming towards Dean who was floating face down. Hearing the sound of Sammy's cries, he turned around to see Bobby picking his youngest up and cradling him towards his chest soothing him by rubbing a hand up and down his back. Knowing that Sammy was being taken care of, he returned his attention to the events unfolding in the lake to see Joshua finally make it to Dean's side.

Once Hoshua made it to Dean, he quickly turned him over and checked to see if he was breathing. Feeling no breath against his cheek, he quickly blew two breaths into the boys lungs and felt immense relief when Dean started choking out water. "That's it kiddo, get it all out." Joshua soothed as he held violently coughing Dean against his chest.

"Joshua, my head hurts." Dean groggily informed the burly hunter before passing out once again into his arms.

"Shit!" swore Joshua as he started swimming an unconscious Dean towards the boat. Arriving at the side, he was thankful to see both Caleb and John reaching down to hoist him up by his arms. Once Dean was safely in the boat, Caleb reached over and gave Joshua a helping hand into the boat where he collapsed from exgaustion.

Brushing his wet hair from his eyes, Josh looked over to see John administering first aid to his oldest. "How is he?" Josh gasped out as he pushed himself shakily to his knees.

"He's out cold. He's got a pretty bad gash right beside his hairline." John stated as he held a cloth to Dean's head trying to ebb the flow of blood, wondering how in the hell things had went so bad so quickly.

"Deanie, I want's Deanie." Sammy cried upon hearing his father's words and seeing his brother lying so still on the bottom of the boat.

"Shhh Sammy, don't cry. Your Deanie's going to be all right." Bobby soothed as he began to rock the wailing child praying that he wasn't lying to him as he watched John administering first aid to his oldest..

"Joshua, we've got to get Dean to a hospital." John stated worried that his oldest could slip into shock from his injuries. He quickly opened the package holding a thermal blanket and wrapped it securely around Dean as he heard Joshua start the engine and turn them back towards the shore of the lake.

**TBC **


	31. Chapter 31

**A Hard Road Ch. 31**

**Disclaimer. **Still don't own them and still not making a profit from my stories.

**Warning: **Language as usual

**Author's Note: My sisters are visiting from Pennsylvania. It might be a few days before I am able to post a chapter to any of my stories!**

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**Previously: **_"Joshua, we've got to get Dean to a hospital." John stated worried that his oldest could slip into shock from his injuries. He quickly opened the package holding a thermal blanket and wrapped it securely around Dean as he heard Joshua start the engine and turn them back towards the shore of the lake._

As John pulled Dean close to his chest to keep pressure on his head wound to curtail the bleeding, he felt bad not being able to comfort his youngest who was still cuddled to Bobby's chest and softly sobbing for his big brother. He wanted to pull him close and let him know that everything would be okay, but he had to take care of Dean first. He knew if Dean were awake that his oldest would be giving him hell for not taking care of Sammy first, but he would just have to understand that his injuries came first.

Letting out a deep sigh, he wished Dean would wake up. He knew head injuries were dangerous any way you looked at them, but one bad enough to cause unconsciousness could lead to disastrous problems, one's he wasn't ready for Dean to face at such a young age. "Please be okay sport.' He whispered as he hugged Dean just a little bit tighter. Closing his eyes for just a second, he wondered how their day had gone to hell so quickly. They had been having so much fun and his sons were fully enjoying themselves. Why did those hoodlums have to go and mess everything up?

Hearing the sound of the engine throttling down, John opened his eyes to see they were nearing the dock and breathed a sigh of relief knowing that Dean would soon get the medical attention he needed. As Joshua maneuvered the boat next to the dock, John cradled Dean in his arms and assessed his child's state of alertness once more. "Dean, can you hear me kiddo?" He queried as he lightly patted his oldest child on the cheek. He was rewarded when Dean groaned and moved his head slightly though he didn't fully awaken. Once the boat had come to a stop, John handed Dean over to Caleb's waiting arms so that he could climb out of the boat himself. Once his feet were firmly planted on the dock, he reached out his arms to take his son back. He didn't bother to wait for the others knowing they would be right behind him and started walking towards the Impala.

Climbing into the back seat, he positioned Dean in his lap and waited for Bobby to place Sammy beside him too. Once they were situated and John had a firm arm around each of his boys, Bobby climbed in behind the wheel and started the engine, setting a course for the nearest hospital with Caleb and Joshua following closely behind in Joshua's truck.

Approximately half way to the hospital, Dean started showing signs of coming around. "Dean, can you hear me son?" John questioned as he felt Dean shift a little against him before tensing up as though in pain. "Dean?'

"Da'ad, what 'appened?" Dean groaned as he opened his eyes only to immediately close them due to the throbbing pain from the sunlight assaulting his eyes.

"You fell and hit your head Ace." John answered as he kept Dean's head supported against his broad chest. "We're taking you to the hospital to get you checked out. You were out cold son."

"Wha' about Sammy?" Dean questioned breathlessly as he gazed up at his dad.

"He's alright Dean. He cried himself to sleep after you got hurt. He's lying here on the seat beside me." John informed his oldest as he ran his fingers tenderly through Sammy's hair. He wasn't about to tell Dean that Sammy had cried out for his Deanie the whole time since the accident happened knowing that Dean would have felt guilty, even though he was unconscious at the time.

"Kay" Dean replied as he snuggled into his father's chest knowing that Sammy was safe and he didn't have to worry about him. "Dad, my heard hurts. What happened?"

John sighed before answering the question once again. He knew Dean most likely had a concussion which was causing him short term memory lost. He just hoped things weren't worse than he thought. He knew the kind of complications that could result from head injuries such as brain swelling and it scared the hell out of him to think Dean could suffer some form of brain damage. He was drawn out of his musings as he noticed Bobby slowing down the car. He looked up to see Bobby stopping just in front of the Emergency Entrance.

Once Bobby opened the back door and picked up the still sleeping Sammy, John opened his own door and climbed out, pulling Dean into his arms. "Here we go sport" he said as he started walking towards the hospital. As soon as he walked in through the sliding doors, he called out for help upon seeing two doctors standing by the nurses desk.

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Dr. Jared Michaels and Dr. Jensen Daniels stood by the nurses desks flirting with Janice and Jess as they tried to talk them into going out on a double date. Janice and Jess were the two hot young nurses that had recently joined the staff and they had already shot down nearly every doctor on the premises. Jensen had just made his big spiel about how they would wine and dine the young nurses at the finest of restaurants when he noticed a rugged looking man come walking into the ER carrying a young limp boy in his arms.

"Jared" he said as he nodded his head in the direction of their newest patient and started that way. Meeting the man half way, Dr. Daniels said, "Follow me as he led them into treatment room five. As John followed the doctor, Bobby called out that he would wait with Sammy in the waiting room and then watched John and Dean disappear behind the treatment room doors.

Once John placed Dean on the small bed, Dr. Michaels began examining the young patient. "What's his name, how old is he, and exactly what happened?" Jared asked as he took out his stethoscope and listened to Dean's heart and lung sounds.

"He's my oldest son Dean. We were out on a fishing trip when there was an accident. Dean fell and hit his head on the boat before falling into the water." John answered as he stood on Dean's other side lightly rubbing his arm.

"His heart rate and pulse seem to be fine." Jared said happy to see his young patient starting to come around. The sooner the kid regained consciousness the better it would be. "Dean, how are you feeling?" Jensen questioned as he motioned for John to step aside so he could help with Dean's assessment.

"My head hurts and I'm a little dizzy." Dean answered as he glanced around until he finally saw his dad standing off to the side of the bed.

"I'm sure you are kiddo, that's one heck of a bump you got there on your noggin." Jared said as he took out a small penlight and shined it into Dean's eyes causing him to moan in pain. Jared apologized to Dean for causing him pain before turning his attention to Jensen. "His pupils are dilated and unequal." Jared informed Jensen since he had started a neurological check evaluating Dean's memory, concentration, vision, coordination, balance and reflexes. Upon finishing his exam, he turned to John and said, "Looks like Dean is suffering from a mild to moderate concussion. I would like to do a CT scan to see just how bad the injury is."

"Sure doc, whatever you think is necessary." John answered as he watched Dean close his eyes and fade off to sleep once again. He knew that drowsiness was also one of the side effects when suffering from a concussion.

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Once the scan had been completed and the doctors had decided to admit Dean for a twenty four hour observation period, John walked out into the waiting room to tell the others what the doctors had said and to see Sammy for a little while. He was worried about how Sammy would take the news that Dean had to stay in the hospital. He and Dean had never been separated form each other before and he knew that Sammy wasn't going to be happy when he found out.

Walking into the waiting room, he immediately knew that his youngest was awake by the sound of his child wailing for his older brother. Rounding the corner, he called out to Sammy and Bobby put the little one down so he could go to his father. John took a few steps towards Sammy and then scooped him up into his arms as he began to rub his back in a soothing motion. "Shhh Sammy, don't cry, Deanie's going to be okay." He said as he cradled Sammy to his chest. "What do you say we go see Dean just as soon as I talk to your uncles?"

Sniffling, Sammy nodded his head in an affirmative manner before laying it down on John's shoulder and putting his thumb in his mouth. He could wait a few minutes since he was finally going to get to see his Deanie.

"So John, what did the doctor say?" Joshua questioned as he stood up with the others to hear the news John had to say. He had been feeling guilty ever since the accident happened and hoped things weren't too bad.

"He said Dean is going to be okay. He's got a mild to moderate concussion from hitting his head and they want to keep him here for at least the next twenty four hours for observation just to make sure he is okay." John answered as he rubbed a hand up and down Sammy's back. "I'm about to go to his room now if you all want to see him." John said as he turned towards the elevators.

A few minutes later, John and the others entered the room to see Dean lying in the bed asleep. His forehead was swathed in bandages and his face looked a little pale. Walking over towards the bed, John reached out to ruffle the hair that wasn't hidden by the bandages. He felt Sammy trying to push away from him and placed his youngest down on the edge of the bed so he could find some comfort being close to his brother.

"Deanie" Sammy whispered as he tried to crawl up to his brother only to be halted by John. "No daddy, want Deanie." Sammy said with a pouting expression on his face as he began to whimper again.

Hearing his little brother's distress, Dean opened his weary eyes and reached his arms out. In no time at all, Sammy crawled his way up the bed and snuggled into his brother's hold. "S'okay Sammy, I got ya." Dean stated through a yawn as he wrapped an arm around his baby brother. Closing his eyes once again, he felt Sammy lay his head upon his chest and then allowed himself to drift off into a deep slumber once again.

"Aw, now that's a picture worth a thousand words." Caleb said as his heart melted at the sight of the two youngest Winchesters sleeping side by side and taking comfort in each other.

"Looks like Sammy will be spending the night here with me and Dean." John stated as he smiled at the tender sight before him. Those boys were so wrapped up in each other that he couldn't bear the thought of separating them tonight. No, he would just make sure that Sammy didn't disturb Dean during the night. If his youngest awoke, he would hold him until he went to sleep again.

Knowing the boys needed their rest, the hunters said their goodbyes and promised to be back in the morning when visiting hours started. Once the others left, John pulled a chair up beside Dean's bed to keep watch over his boys for the night. "We're gonna be okay boys." He said knowing that as long as he had the two of them, that he could face anything that life threw at him from here on out.

**TBC **_**This chapter seemed a little stilted to me, but I posted anyway since I knew it would be a little while before I had the chance to pot again with my sister's visiting from out of state.**_


	32. Chapter 32

**A Hard Road Ch. 32**

**Disclaimer. **Still don't own them and still not making a profit from my stories.

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**Previously: **_Knowing the boys needed their rest, the hunters said their goodbyes and promised to be back in the morning when visiting hours started. Once the others left, John pulled a chair up beside Dean's bed to keep watch over his boys for the night. "We're gonna be okay boys." He said knowing that as long as he had the two of them, that he could face anything that life threw at him from here on out._

Morning found John waking up with a kink in his back from having catnapped in an uncomfortable chair throughout the night since he was unable to get any decent sleep. He had been awoken several times as nurses came in throughout the night to check on Dean. At one point, he had to stop one of the nurses from physically removing Sammy from the bed, telling her that Dean wouldn't rest comfortably without having his baby brother by his side. Raising his arms up and arching his back, John stretched to get the kinks out of his muscles and then looked at his sleeping youngsters. Sammy was snuggled into Dean's side with his head now resting in the crook of Dean's shoulder and he had his thumb tucked into his mouth sucking on it intermittently. Reaching over to remove the thumb from Sammy's mouth, he whispered, "Kiddo, what am I going to do with you? I thought we had finally broken you of that little habit."

"Sammy sucks his thumb every night dad, he just waits for you to leave the room"

"Dean, you're awake." John said with a huge smile as he focused his attention on his oldest son. "How are you feeling Ace?"

"M'fine Dad. But please don't tell Sammy what I said. He doesn't want you to think he's a baby. It's just that he's still having nightmares and it calms him to have his thumb in his mouth."

"Dean, is he still dreaming about what happened with the clowns?" John asked with concern as he brushed a hand lightly through Sammy's hair to keep from waking him up.

"Yeah, but they're getting better. He doesn't fully awaken from them anymore if I can catch them soon enough."

"Dean, why didn't you tell me Sammy was having the nightmares?" John asked feeling guilty for not knowing how distressed his youngest child still was over the clown incident.

"Because I've been able to handle them myself dad. Besides, it's my job to look out for Sammy." Dean answered with a statement of fact.

"And you do a damned fine job of it too sport." John said with pride, tinged with a little bit of guilt also. He was extremely proud of the way Dean always took care of Sammy and looked after his needs first instead of his own, but then he felt guilty for putting that weight on Dean's shoulders since Dean was still just a kid himself.

"Thanks dad" Dean said as he felt Sammy shifting beside him. Wrapping his arm around Sammy and pulling him a little bit closer, he heard Sammy sigh in contentment before fully relaxing into sleep once again.

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Later that morning, Bobby and the others walked into Dean's hospital room to see the Winchester boys giggling while watching a Tom and Jerry cartoon as John sat writing in his journal. They breathed a sigh of relief to see both boys acting so carefree as if they didn't have a care in the world. Walking over towards John, Bobby handed him a cup of strong, black coffee. Looks like Dean is feeling pretty good this morning." He said as he nodded his head towards the bed.

"Yeah, the doc was in a few minutes ago to check him out. He said if Dean is able to eat some breakfast and keep it down, he'll consider letting him go this morning." John replied with a smile.

"That's fantastic news." Bobby stated as he pulled up the other chair in the room to sit down. "So what are you and the boys planning on doing once Dean is released?" Bobby inquired just as the door opened and a nurse walked in carrying a breakfast tray.

"Good morning boys." The nurse said with a smile as she pulled over the portable table and placed the tray down on it. Readjusting the height for the boys, she opened the top of the tray to reveal two bowls filled with Lucky Charms and two small cartons of white milk.

"Yay Charms." Sammy shouted upon seeing his favorite cereal. He was about to dig in but looked shyly towards Dean instead. "You eats them Deanie, the nurse bringed them for you." He said with a wistful look at the cereal.

"I brought them for both of you little man." The nurse informed Sammy as she reached out to ruffle his chocolate brown locks. You didn't think I would leave out the best little brother in the world did you? You took such good care of Dean last night so I thought you might be hungry too."

"Yep, I'm is!" Sammy stated with a smile as he pulled one of the bowls towards himself and waited for Dean to pour the milk in for him. Once Dean poured the milk into his bowl, Sammy scooped up a spoonful of the cereal loaded with marshmallows of different colors and shoved it into his mouth, a look of pure happiness on his face, even with the milk dribbling down his chin.

"Yeah, I guess you are." The nurse said with a laugh as she watched both boys enjoying their breakfast. Her favorite part of being a pediatric nurse was when she was rewarded with a big smile from a child, especially from the two precious angels sitting on the bed before her. Needing to look in on her other patients, the nurse turned to John and said, "I'll be back in a few minutes to see if Dean was able to keep his food down. There is a small kidney shaped basin in the top drawer of the stand should Dean become nauseous and need it."

"Thanks Janice." John replied grateful for kindness of the young nurse. She was really good with Dean and took the time to make sure Sammy was felt special too.

"You're welcome John. Just let me know if there is anything more I can do to help." With those words, Janice left the room to check on her other patients.

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An hour later found the doctor signing Dean's release papers while John helped his oldest to get dressed. Dean had been able to keep his breakfast down and his vital signs were all looking good. Handing the sheet with the instructions over to John, the doctor said, "Make sure he gets plenty of rest over the next few days and that he doesn't do anything too strenuous. If Dean starts suffering from dizzy spells, or his headaches get worse, bring him back or get him to another doctor as it could be a sign of something more serious going on."

"You can count on it doc." John answered as he placed Dean's shoes on his feet and tied the laces for him. He knew how dangerous head wounds could be, especially for children and that was one thing he wouldn't take any chances with. Helping Dean into the wheelchair, he hoisted Sammy into his arms and then everyone followed Janice out as she pushed Dean towards the exit where Joshua was waiting on them with the Impala after having went to the parking garage to give Dean some curbside service.

Once they made it to the car, Bobby helped Dean into the backseat while John placed his youngest in the carseat and strapped him in securely before climbing into the backseat himself. Bobby was going to chauffeur them back to Joshua's cabin so he could keep a close eye on his boys. Glancing in the rearview mirror, Bobby saw Joshua's truck pull up behind the muscle car with Josh driving and Caleb riding shotgun. "Here we go boys." Bobby stated with a smile as he pulled out, happy to leave the hospital behind. He couldn't help but think how lucky they had been this time that Dean had only suffered a concussion, things could have been much, much worse.

The drive to the cabin was relatively quiet as Dean snuggled into his father's side and went to sleep while Sammy watched his brother with worry. Seeing the fearful look on Sammy's face, John said, "Don't worry tiger, Dean's fine. He's just going to need his rest for the next few days."

"Kay daddy" Sammy replied as he turned his face toward the window and sneakily placed his thumb in his mouth for comfort.

John had to smirk as he watched his baby trying to be secretive. He would allow Sammy to get away with it this time knowing that he was worried about his big brother. But he planned on working with him over the next few weeks to stop the bad habit before it messed up Sammy's teeth.

Arriving back at the cabin, Dean carried a sleeping Dean in to place him in bed while Bobby took care of getting Sammy out of the car. Knowing that Dean needed his rest, John decided to take Sammy over to the small playground where he could play without disturbing his older brother. Taking a seat on the wooden bench, John watched while his youngest played on the slide for a few minutes before walking over to the sandbox to play with the toys that were located there.

Approximately an hour later, John called an end to playtime and carried his youngest back over to the cabin. He needed to gather their things together since he wanted to hit the road in the morning. It was time he and his boys took some time to themselves.

Placing Sam in front of the television, John walked to the boys room and started gathering their things and placed them into their duffle bags. He had only been packing a few minutes when Bobby walked into the room with a startled look upon his face.

"John, what are you doing?" Bobby asked fearful of the answer that he knew was coming.

"I'm packing up our things Bobby. We've infringed on everybody's hospitality long enough and it's time the boys and I get back on the road." John answered knowing Bobby would be displeased with his answer.

"John, you haven't been infringing on anybody's hospitality. You know how much we love those boys. Dean's just getting over being in the hospital. Why don't you give it a month or so and allow him the time to fully recuperate."

"I'm sorry Bobby, but I need to do this. I need some time alone with my boys. I don't want to hurt you and the others, but we have to learn to depend on ourselves if we're going to survive this life. Please understand how I feel. I promise to bring the boys by every so often so they won't forget their Uncle Bobby." John stated hoping to make Bobby understand his reasons for leaving.

"I do understand John, and I guess I can't blame ya, but that doesn't mean I have to like it." Bobby stated hating to think about how lonely his days would be without those boys around.

"Thanks Bobby." John replied grasping the older hunter's shoulder and giving it a firm squeeze.

That evening, Bobby and the others took the time to play with the boys and enjoy their time together knowing how hard it would be to watch them drive off in the morning. Dean and Sammy were so firmly entrenched into their lives now that it would be like watching their own children driving away. Going to bed that night, each hunter stated a silent prayer that the angels would watch over the Winchesters until they were all back together once again.

**THE END---**for now! Thank you so much for your support throughout this story. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing it, but need time to focus on my other stories.


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